Saint Catherine’s Hospice has made history by becoming the first hospice in the UK to be awarded Gold status in the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme.
The ERS is the highest accolade for organisations that demonstrate exceptional support for the Armed Forces community.
The Gold Award recognises Saint Catherine’s "unwavering commitment to veterans, reservists, service leavers, and military families through inclusive recruitment, training, and support".
This achievement follows the hospice’s previous Bronze and Silver Awards, and its trailblazing work as the first hospice in the country to be accredited as Veteran Aware in 2022.
Michelle Muir, Clinical Quality and Safety Lead at Saint Catherine’s, said:
“We are incredibly proud and honoured to achieve Gold Award status.
This recognition highlights our ongoing commitment to veterans and their families – not only as patients, but also as valued members of our workforce and volunteer community. We believe in providing truly personalised care, and understanding someone’s military background can be a crucial part of that.
This award is a testament to the dedication of our entire team.”
The Defence ERS Gold Award is only presented to organisations that demonstrate outstanding advocacy for the Armed Forces, actively communicate their support, and align their values with the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant.
Saint Catherine’s has continually led the way in this space, becoming one of the first organisations in the region to join the Step into Health programme – connecting members of the Armed Forces community with careers in healthcare. The hospice also ensures its policies and practices support veteran and reservist employees, as well as adult cadet force volunteers, acknowledging the unique skills and experiences they bring.
In addition, Saint Catherine’s has partnered with Helpforce, a national charity that supports health and care organisations to maximise the impact of their volunteers, to deliver the Volunteer to Career for the Armed Forces community programme. This innovative initiative creates clear pathways for retired veterans and their family members to transition into meaningful roles within the healthcare sector – whether clinical, non-clinical, or in wider support services.
Saint Catherine’s says it hopes its achievement will inspire other hospices and healthcare providers to become Veteran Aware and explore the many benefits of employing members of the Armed Forces community.
There is more information about Saint Catherine’s work with veterans at https://www.saintcatherines.org.uk/veteran-aware
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