HealthBus Trust celebrates achieving Forward Carers’ Carer Friendly Employer Commitment Mark
Health Bus Trust has been recognised as a Carer Friendly Employer by Forward Carers, celebrating its commitment to creating a compassionate, inclusive and supportive workplace for colleagues balancing employment with unpaid caring responsibilities.
Based in Bournemouth, HealthBus Trust is an award-winning charity providing vital healthcare and outreach services to people experiencing homelessness across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Through its specialist nurse-led services, HealthBus delivers accessible, compassionate healthcare to some of the most vulnerable people in the community, helping to overcome barriers to essential medical care and support.
The organisation recognises that people with first-hand experience of homelessness and social exclusion bring invaluable knowledge and understanding, helping to shape more responsive, inclusive and effective services.
This commitment to listening, understanding and empowering people is also reflected in the way HealthBus supports its own workforce.
Recognising and supporting working Carers
Achieving the Forward Carers’ Carer Friendly Employer Commitment Mark demonstrates HealthBus Trust’s commitment to recognising colleagues who provide unpaid care for family members, friends or loved ones alongside their professional responsibilities.
Through its work with Forward Carers, including workplace awareness training delivered in October 2026, HealthBus has taken positive steps to strengthen understanding of the challenges faced by working Carers and build a culture where colleagues feel comfortable discussing their caring responsibilities and accessing support.
The Commitment Mark recognises organisations that demonstrate a commitment to raising awareness of unpaid Carers, championing their needs, providing support beyond statutory requirements and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
Deano Pickering, Chief Executive Officer of HealthBus Trust, said:
“Becoming a Carer Friendly Employer reflects our commitment to caring for the people who make HealthBus’s work possible. We recognise that balancing work with caring for a loved one can be demanding, and we want colleagues to feel comfortable asking for support. By listening, showing understanding and offering flexibility, we can help our Carers feel valued and supported to thrive at work.”
Rachel Close, Programme Manager at Forward Carers, said:
“We are delighted to recognise HealthBus Trust as a Carer Friendly Employer. Their genuine commitment to putting people first, valuing lived experience and championing inclusion shines through in both their work with people experiencing homelessness and their support for colleagues who are unpaid Carers.
Balancing work and caring responsibilities can be challenging, and creating a culture of understanding, flexibility and open conversations can make a real difference. HealthBus is setting a fantastic example, and we hope their achievement inspires more organisations to recognise and support working Carers. Congratulations to the whole team on this well-deserved recognition!”
Building a more Carer Friendly future
With more people balancing employment and unpaid caring responsibilities, creating supportive workplaces is increasingly important for employee wellbeing, retention and inclusion.
Forward Carers’ Carer Friendly Employer programme helps organisations turn good intentions into practical action.
HealthBus Trust’s achievement demonstrates how a commitment to compassionate care can extend beyond the delivery of services to supporting the people who make those services possible.
Forward Carers congratulates HealthBus Trust on achieving its Carer Friendly Employer Commitment Mark and looks forward to continuing to champion workplaces where Carers feel valued.