We are committed to supporting the Armed Forces community. Our Trust has been accredited as a 'Veteran Aware' organisation by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA). This acknowledges our commitment to a number of key pledges, including:
- Ensuring that the armed forces community is never disadvantaged compared to other patients, in line with the NHS’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
- Making veterans, reservists and service families aware of appropriate charities or NHS services beneficial to them, such as mental health services or support with financial and/or benefit claims
- Training relevant staff on veteran-specific culture or needs
- Supporting the armed forces as an employer
Please tell us if you or your spouse/partner or family, have ever served in the UK armed forces so we can best support your care needs.
Being flagged as a veteran in your NHS medical notes will help ensure you are able to access specific veterans’ health services, such as those for mental health, hearing loss, limb amputation and wheelchairs. All veterans are entitled to priority access to NHS care (including hospital, primary or community care) for conditions associated with their time in the armed forces (service-related). But this is always subject to clinical need and doesn't entitle you to jump the queue ahead of someone with a higher clinical need.