UHDB marks Remembrance Day 2024 and hears from neurosurgeon and army veteran sharing his inspiring story serving our nation and the NHS
On Monday 11 November 2024, colleagues across University Hospitals Derby and Burton (UHDB) Trust gathered to mark Remembrance Day through services held at Royal Derby Hospital (RDH) and Queen's Hospital Burton (QHB) - coordinated by our Armed Forces Network.
At RDH, Chaplain Marise Hargreaves led a service alongside Trust Chair, Prem Singh, Dr Gis Robinson, Chief Medical Officer, and Rowland Agidee, Chief Analytics Officer, whilst at QHB, Chaplain Andrew Keith led the service alongside our Trust's CEO Stephen Posey, and Chris Upton, Deputy Chair of the Armed Forces Network.
During the services, colleagues shared readings and poetry reflecting on the importance of commemorating Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made by those who have served.
Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire James Leavesley DL was present and in uniform at QHB to take part in the commemoration, with Sandesh Gurung - Member of the Gurkha Armed Forces, conducting the laying of a wreath on site.
At RDH Mr Stuart Roberts, Consultant Neurosurgeon and Spinal Surgeon, Armed Forces Veteran and Reservist, alongside Steve Astles, Practice Placement Co-Ordinator at UHDB, were both present and in uniform, and led the laying of the wreaths.
Before the two minutes silence, Alexander Murdoch, Lead Senior Assistant Technical Officer and Tony Thomas, a Catering Stores Driver at UHDB, played the Last Post to commemorate the occasion at RDH and QHB respectively.
Thank you to all UHDB colleagues, patients, and members of the public who attended our services and who have donated to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal at our sites leading up to Remembrance Day.
Mr Stuart Roberts, Consultant Neurosurgeon and Spinal Surgeon at UHDB shares his remarkable journey this Remembrance Day after starting his medical career in the British Armed Forces.
His story is a reminder of the tremendous value that armed forces colleagues bring to our Trust and their key role in delivering exceptional care to our communities. UHDB is committed to supporting our armed forces colleagues including veterans, reservists and military family members and has a dedicated Armed Forces Staff Network that meets regularly to ensure their views are heard and they are supported in their roles.
Mr Roberts reflected on his early career, "My career began as a neurological trainee in the military after finishing medical school and since then I have had the opportunity to work with partner nations and organisations including the NATO Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers committee. Working in the military really helped shape me as a doctor and I developed leadership, resilience and management skills which I frequently use in my current role. Veterans, reservists and other armed forces colleagues bring a lot of skills, experience and value to the NHS and I am proud to be one of those people who have served my nation and our NHS.
"I had to complete a series of tests and meet specific requirements in order to join and there was an initial period of training where I had to learn military leadership skills at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. During my service, I realised how closely linked the military and the NHS were - many military doctors and reservist doctors already work in the NHS and this means they can be easily and more efficiently mobilised to support withy specialist operations."
Mr Roberts touched on the invaluable skills and training he received during his time in the military, "The military offers leadership and management training, which has been hugely beneficial whilst navigating training and moving into a consultant role, where I'm responsible for managing teams and challenging situations. The military supported my PhD, which not only delivered essential research for the military but I also developed academic skills that are beneficial for the NHS. In service I’ve worked with many partner Nations and been fortunate to travel to places such as South Korea, North America, Scandinavian nations, and lots of mainland Europe."
UHDB signed up to the Armed Forced Covenant in June 2021 to set out our commitment to our armed forces colleagues. The covenant is a promise from the nation to ensure all those who serve or have served, and their families are treated fairly. Mr Roberts said, "UHDB is signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant, and it was important for me to see an employer that recognised and valued the contribution of those who protect our nation."
Like many who have served, Remembrance Day holds deep personal significance to Mr Roberts. He expressed: "I think about the historical sacrifices that enable us to have the freedoms we enjoy today. Not everyone is so fortunate, and many are still blighted by conflict in today's uncertain world."
On Remembrance Day, Mr Roberts will also take time to remember the military colleagues he has lost and the patients he has treated - many of whom were injured in operations. He said: "Some of these individuals stick in my mind as they demonstrated remarkable resilience and recovery, achieving incredible personal feats despite significant injuries yet demonstrated remarkable spirit and often set wonderful examples of resilience and recovery, achieving incredible personal feats. I see some in the Invictus Games or taking on other endurance challenges and that is very rewarding."
Since joining UHDB as a consultant, Mr Roberts has been able to integrate his military experience into his NHS role. He said: "The Trust has supported me to see military personnel within my NHS clinics and allowed me to deliver a spinal clinic for serving personnel at the nearby Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall."
Mr Roberts is one of many armed forces colleagues at UHDB who bring immeasurable value to our NHS and we want to ensure we do all that we can to support similar colleagues whether they are veterans, reservists, cadets or military family members. They make up part of our incredibly diverse workforce and the experience and skills they bring play an important role to deliver exceptional care to our patients and community.
Colleagues who are veterans, reservists or family members of those in military service can ensure their views and interest are represented by contacting and joining our armed forces staff network > (opens in new window).
The Armed Forces Covenant website > (opens in new window) also supports those who serve, or have served, ensuring them and their families are treated fairly in the community.