NHS Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire ICB
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We NHS Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire ICB will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 NHS Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire ICB recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Cadets
We also pledge the following:

Promoting the Armed Forces: Promoting our work, activities and events through our own digital and social media channels as well as working with the press. Promoting the fact that we are an Armed Forces friendly organisation, to our staff, contractors, customers, suppliers and wider public. Veterans: Welcoming Applications from veterans who meet the criteria in the job specification. Recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection process. Service Spouses & Partners: Supporting the employment of Service spouses and partners by welcoming applications from spouses/partners who meet the criteria in the job specifications. Consider ways in which hybrid-working solutions might benefit the mobile Armed Forces Community, especially partners and spouses. Endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for services spouses and partners before, during and after a partners deployment. Reserves: Supporting our employees who are already members of the Reserve Force. Support Reservists by offering them additional days of annual leave (paid & unpaid) in or-der to carry out their duties. Supporting any mobilisations and deployment. Cadet Organisations: Supporting our employees who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations. Recognising the benefits of employing cadets/ex-cadets within the workforce. Communications, engagement and outreach: Use the Covenant and Employer Recognition Scheme logos in your communications and marketing. Signpost members of the Armed Forces Community to available support. Health: Promote awareness-raising schemes, such as veteran-friendly accreditation for GP practices and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance.

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.