Conference

Building a Forces-Friendly healthcare sector: driving workforce sustainability together

Name: Building a Forces-Friendly healthcare sector: driving workforce sustainability together
Start: 2026-03-17
End: 2026-03-17

NHS Employers Armed Forces conference 2026

General information

Time: 17 March 2026 09:00 - 16:00 GMT
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Audience: Open to all

Join us for NHS Employers’ annual Armed Forces conference on 17 March 2026, a key event bringing together leaders, advocates, and partners to share best practice and innovative approaches for creating inclusive employment opportunities and supportive environments for Reservists and the wider Armed Forces community—helping us all drive workforce sustainability.

Delegates will hear how NHS trusts are working with Step into Health to enhance opportunities into the NHS though apprenticeships and skills pathways. Discover how healthcare providers are embedding policies and practices that enable Reservists to excel, while meeting operational needs. Learn how to publicly demonstrate and advocate your organisation’s commitment to the Armed Forces community and explore the benefits of achieving ERS accreditation at bronze, silver, or gold level.

Key themes include: 

Fostering a culture that supports the Armed Forces community to thrive within NHS organisations

Sustaining a workforce that supports the ten-year plan through apprenticeships and skills pathways

How transferable skills from Reservists and other members of the Armed Forces community can help fill critical roles across clinical and non-clinical areas.

Exploring how forces-friendly recruitment and retention strategies contribute to meeting the NHS’s long-term workforce sustainability goals.

Agenda

An introduction to the seventh annual NHS Employers Armed Forces Conference, setting the theme for the day and focusing on how Forces-friendly initiatives contribute to delivering the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan and how this strengthens the healthcare sector.
Join senior leaders from NHS England and the Ministry of Defence to explore how Forces-friendly programmes—such as Supporting Armed Forces Reservists in Healthcare and Step into Health—are helping to deliver the ambitions of the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan.
This session will examine the strategic importance of creating inclusive employment opportunities for the Armed Forces community and how these initiatives support recruitment, retention, and skills development across the NHS. Panellists will share practical insights on embedding these programmes within organisational workforce strategies to build resilience and sustainability for the future.

10:45 - 11.30am

Hear powerful personal stories from Reservists across the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force as they share what it’s like to balance military duties with civilian roles in the NHS.
This session will provide a unique insight into the realities of serving in the Armed Forces while contributing to patient care in healthcare settings. Discover the challenges and rewards of managing dual responsibilities, the transferable skills that strengthen NHS teams, and how supportive policies enable Reservists to flourish in both roles.
This session explores how Armed Forces leavers, veterans, Reservists, and military families can enter the NHS through structured apprenticeship routes and skills pathways. It demonstrates how Step into Health enables employers to translate military experience into NHS competencies, supporting more confident entry into both clinical and nonclinical careers. The session blends strategic insight with lived experience to show how apprenticeships can directly address workforce gaps while widening participation.

11:30 - 11.45am - Break

Hear an inspiring story from Dr Bex Bennet from Sisters in Service.

12:30 - 1:30pm -Lunch

Join us for an optional wellbeing session with Louise Wheeler from NHS Employers

1:30 - 2:15pm

Join colleagues from Defence Relationship Management (DRM) for an insightful update on the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) and the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), and learn why the health sector remains a key priority in strengthening support for the Armed Forces community.
This session will explore how healthcare organisations can align their commitments with national objectives, including the 10-Year Health Plan, by fostering inclusive employment practices for Reservists and other members of the armed forces community.
Recruitment is only half the story – retention is where culture truly shapes outcomes. This session examines how NHS organisations can build inclusive, Forces friendly environments that support veterans, service leavers, reservists, and military families to thrive. It focuses on practical actions that improve wellbeing, strengthen belonging, and reduce turnover, aligning with the 10-year plan.
This session brings together leading Armed Forces charities to explore how collaborative, community‑centred support can improve outcomes for serving personnel, veterans, and families. Representatives from Walking With The Wounded, Fighting With Pride, the Army Families Federation (AFF), Forces Families Jobs (FFJ), and the Naval Families Federation (NFF) will share insights into their work, emerging needs across the Armed Forces community, and opportunities for deeper partnership with the NHS.

2:15 - 2:30pm - Break

Join us for an engaging session showcasing best practice from the Armed Forces space. Speakers will share their journeys, highlight the different approaches taken across organisations and offer practical insights and tips for effectively supporting reservists within the Healthcare Sector.
Featuring highlights of the day and reflections from speakers and attendees.

Building a Forces-Friendly healthcare sector: driving workforce sustainability together

General information

Agenda

10:45 - 11.30am

11:30 - 11.45am - Break

12:30 - 1:30pm -Lunch

1:30 - 2:15pm

2:15 - 2:30pm - Break

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