Betty Boothroyd presents Craegmoor Healthcare Director with HR award

The Employersí Forum on Age (EFA) has recognised Craegmoor Healthcareís HR Director, Denise Keatingís efforts in the field of age discrimination. Denise was presented with the ëOutstanding Contribution to the Campaigní award at its ten year anniversary dinner this month.

A director of the EFA, Denise has spent a decade working to secure the rights of all workers regardless of their age. Importantly, she has worked with the EFA to lobby the Government for new workable employment laws to protect against age discrimination in employment which has helped bring about the introduction of new age regulations that came into force this month.

The EFA, launched in 1996, is an employer-led initiative that helps to eliminate age discrimination in the UK and Denise has played a crucial role in its set-up, development and success since inception, helping to make it the organisation it is today.

Denise says: ìUnlike other forms of prejudice, age discrimination affects all of us at some point in our lives. We can all remember being too young to drive, work and vote. Similarly, as people get older they find that their age prevents them from finding a job or qualifying for health and life insurance. Employers should only be interested in a personís ability to do the job ñ their age should not be an issue.î

At Craegmoor Healthcare Denise is setting an example for other HR directors across the country. She continues: ìWe employ staff between the ages of 18 to 80 and have 150 staff over the age of 65. In fact, we have even removed the retirement age of 65 so that our staff, providing that they meet satisfactory performance and attendance levels, can choose when they want to retire.î

In her role as HR director at Craegmoor Healthcare, Denise has ensured that:

All staff are receiving age discrimination training
Training and flexible working is accessible to all staff irrespective of age
Application forms no longer include the date of birth question
Loyalty vouchers at 3, 5, 10 and 15 years service recognise staff commitment

Denise still believes much is to be done nationally. She says: ìAlthough the Government has taken great steps with the introduction of the Age Regulations, there are some loop-holes, particularly around redundancy, retirement and length of service benefits, which could still be exploited in court.î

Julian Spurling, Marketing and Development Director and Managing Director of Independent Hospital Division for Craegmoor Healthcare said: ìWe are so proud of Denise and support everything she stands for. She is a real asset to our company but not only that, as a result of Deniseís hard work, she has helped to change peopleís view on older workers, ultimately for the benefit of employees everywhere.î