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We are aiming to further support the Armed Forces community by starting work on becoming Veteran Aware accredited.

This is so we can demonstrate our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant principles and commitments, by meeting eight standards as laid out by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA).

Earlier this year, we came together alongside University College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Barts Health NHS Trust to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise by the nation that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces - along with their families - should be treated fairly.

It is a promise that they should not be disadvantaged because of their service and it is a recognition of the sacrifices they make on our behalf, and the responsibilities we owe them in return.

We have been working with the VCHA – and will continue to do so - in the coming weeks as we aim to secure first stage accreditation by the end of June.

Staff at the Trust will be informed of how to access training packages that will provide further information about the unique needs and challenges facing the Armed Forces community.

The accreditation is a formal recognition of the high quality service the Trust can provide to the Armed Forces community.

It seeks to deliver better health and wellbeing for the whole of the Armed Forces community and provide a more joined-up experience of care for serving personnel and their families as they move around the country and transition from service to civilian life.

In addition, the accreditation aims to offer faster and more local access to high quality, personalised care for those in the Armed Forces community.

"This is a major step forward in how we will support and provide care for veterans"

Graeme Wright, our deputy chief nurse who is leading the project, said: "I am looking forward to implementing our plan of action for this as we aim to secure first-stage accreditation.

"We are committed to ensuring that we treat those who serve or have served their country in the Armed Forces fairly, and that they are not disadvantaged because of their service.

"We will be training relevant staff on veteran-specific culture or needs and 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.

“This is a major step forward in how we will support and provide care for veterans both in the present and future.”

Support for veterans and the armed forces community

The Trust has affirmed its support to the Armed Forces community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.

The Covenant commits the Trust to upholding the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:

• no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen; and
• in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved

It also means the Trust will demonstrate its support by:

• 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
• Training relevant staff on veteran-specific culture or needs
• 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
• Supporting the armed forces as an employer

Veterans are defined as anyone who has served for at least one day in His Majesty’s Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations.