Forming the Veteran Support Partnership

Hi, I’m Neil Emery and before joining the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) I served for over 24 years in the military.

I started my journey, aged 16, at the Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Artillery, before moving to Germany the following year. During my time in Germany, I met and married my wife, Carolyn. Following my military career, which saw me take part in numerous operations and tours of duty across the globe, we decided to move back to Newcastle and settle with our two children, Kieren and Shannon.

In 2020 I joined the NHSBSA as an Optimisation Implementation Lead. In my role, I lead the continuous review, coordination and management of workforce service systems, including NHS Jobs and Electronic Staff Record (ESR). I lead a regional optimisation team who support other NHS organisation to successfully onboard these systems. I was proud to join the NHSBSA, an arm’s length body of the Department of Health and Social Care, which provides a range of complex and essential high-volume business services and supports the day to day running of the NHS. Having previously spent 5 years leading Virgin Money’s physical security function, joining the Optimisations Team was a complete career change that I’d been looking for.

The transferable skills I developed in the military including strong communication, team leadership, stakeholder engagement, strategic thinking, and the ability to quickly adapt to new situations, all help me to be successful in my day-to-day project and to manage a team to support the NHSBSA’s Workforce Strategic Ambition.

Upon joining the NHSBSA I began to link in with other Veterans and colleagues to set up a new Veteran Support Strategy and Armed Forces Network. This support strategy would see the NHSBSA build on its current veteran program, bronze employer recognition award and signing of the Armed Forces Covenant and strengthen our position as an inclusive employer for Veterans and the Armed Forces Community.

As chair of the new Armed Forces Network, I set a vision for the organisation to establish partnerships with like-minded influential businesses and organisations and establish a network of networks. It was at this point I formed the Veteran Support Partnership.

More about the Veteran Support Partnership

Veterans and the Armed Forces Community currently receive support from various organisations, across public, private and charitable sectors. The purpose of the Veteran Support Partnership is to support veterans, so they feel valued, supported and empowered. The Partnership aims to eliminate barriers to opportunities, and showcasing them all in one place and inspiring the Armed Forces Community to reach their full potential.

The Veteran Support Partnership consists of the following organisations, NHS Business Services Authority, Newcastle Building Society, Career Transition Partnership, Walking with the Wounded, Caterpillar, Step into Health, Veterans’ Employment Transition Support, Forward Assist, Nexus, Northern Bootcamp and the Armed Forces Outreach Service, including Gateshead Council, Your Homes Newcastle, Newcastle City Council, Northumberland County Council and Durham County Council.  

First Veteran Support Event

Our partnership ambition for 2021 is to deliver three virtual events, each event will focus on one of our strategic principles – Support, Develop, Employ.  The first event will take place on 12th May, 10:00-12:30.

The virtual Veteran Support Event will showcase the support available to Veterans and their families. Speakers will focus on a range of topics including housing, family support, financial advice, and mental health and wellbeing.  

For more information and to register your interest visit: https://veteransupportevent.eventbrite.co.uk