Disabled ex-servicemen and women are to benefit from a new support service to help get them back to work.

The Interwork Services programme, which is run by disabled employment specialist Remploy and the Regular Forces Employment Association, will profile personnel so that employers can find the best match for available positions.

More than 15,000 servicemen and women are discharged for medical reasons every year, but are still available for civilian employment. Their disabilities range from stress disorders to hearing loss or physical impairment.

According to Joyce Graham, employment development manager at Remploy, service personnel have many transferable skills that are attractive to employers in areas such as nursing or the police, for example, as the disciplined environment and unsociable hours would be very similar to their army experiences.

“These people are very marketable to employers,” said Graham. “The majority find jobs within three months of being medically discharged.” Remploy has contracts nationally with companies including Asda, Ikea, Halifax Building Society and the NHS.