The NHS employs around 34,000 healthcare professionals and non-clinical staff who are members of the reserve forces, the majority of which are in the Territorial Army. The remainder are split between the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve and Royal Auxiliary Air Force.
Since January 2003 over 17,000 reservists have been mobilised for full-time active service, mainly in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reservists account for 14 per cent of the nation's total defence capacity and provide services which are crucial to the delivery of defence medical services and the running of teams in active service.
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This page is divided into the following headings:
Employers roles and responsibilities
The commitment for SHAs to develop and maintain their armed forces networks is reinforced in section 2 of the Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2012/13. The operating framework also states that NHS organisations should be supportive of those staff who choose to volunteer for reserve duties. Many employers are already supporting reservists as part of good social responsibility.
Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers (SaBRE) is a Ministry of Defence marketing and communications campaign. SaBRE hold an online list of employers that have publicly declared their support for current and future reservist employees. If you would like your organisation to be included on this list or would like to find out more information, please refer to the supportive employers section of the SaBRE website.
The value and benefits of employing reservists
Reservists are likely to be hardworking, committed individuals. They undergo specialist military training, developing many transferable skills which can be of direct benefit to their role in the workplace, including decision-making, communication, leadership, team building and other practical skills. They also have a great deal of experience in dealing with a diverse range of people from all ranks, nationalities and cultures.
Training for reservists
Reservists' training commitments vary. On average a reservist takes part in evening and weekend training as well as 15 days continual training once a year (annual camp). Some reservists volunteer for extra training courses and additional duties, including health and safety, IT and personnel management.
Employer support is essential to a reservist to maximise the benefits of training. Annual camp can use a lot of holiday entitlement if no additional leave is granted. Many employers give their reservists extra time for this training (either by allowing them special leave or additional annual leave) as they see the benefits of their reservists new skills and the positive impact this has on the organisation.
Mobilising and reinstating a reservist
Each of the reserve forces follows strict procedures when mobilising a reservist. These include issue of a call-out notice usually 28 days before mobilisation. The reservist then notifies their employer and pre-deployment training begins.
When a reservist has been demobilised and has made an application for reinstatement to employment, employers have a duty to reinstate them in their former job for a minimum period and if this is not possible, offer them suitable alternative employment.
Reservists sometimes need refresher training on their return to work or time to refamilarise themselves with processes and procedures. Sometimes reservists can face challenges when settling back into the workplace as life in the field is very different to that in a hospital. It can take time to adjust and deal with what they have experienced.
Further information on what happens when a reservist returns to work can be found on the SaBRE website.
Legal responsibilities
There are two pieces of legislation that employers should be familiar with:
1. The Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985 (SOE 85). This provides reservists who have a liability to be mobilised with protection of employment and rights to reinstatement.
2. The Reserve Forces Act 1996 (RFA 96), sets out the call-out powers under which reservists can be mobilised for full-time service.
SaBRE has produced a legal aspects pack which contains the legislation which determines rights and responsibilities regarding employment protection, financial assistance and mobilisation. Download the pack from SABREs website
Financial support available
When your staff are mobilised you may need to temporarily recruit to their post to meet service provision. Employers can claim financial assistance to help towards additional costs incurred when temporary staffing is required. This includes:
- overtime if using other employees to cover work usually carried out by your reservist
- salary costs of a temporary replacement, if these exceed the usual cost of your reservists salary.
Employers can also claim for any re-training their reservists need on their return from deployment if this is essential to their role.
See SABREs website for more details.
Future reserves 2020
Future reserves 2020 is an independent commission set up to review the United Kingdom's reserve forces. In July 2011 they published a report recommending an overall increase in the number of reservists and the ways they will be used. The study included some additional recommendations which may affect employers:
- increased use of transferrable civilian specialist skills in certain areas
- availability of more flexible reservist training, such as e-training and simulation
- initiatives to recognise and thank employers for their support
- partnerships with employers to develop mutually beneficial career and training opportunities that will benefit Defence, Reservists and employers
- encourage employers to support reservists as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
View the full report at the Ministry of Defence website
Further information and guidance
- Each region has a SaBRE contact who can help you tailor your existing policy to include reservists. Find out who your regional contact is from the SaBRE website.
- There is also a template policy available that you can adapt for your organisation. Download from SaBRE website