We are proud to be Veteran Aware
We are a member of the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance. This means we are committed to sharing and driving best practice in NHS care for people who serve, or have served, in the UK Armed Forces and their families, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant.
What you can expect from us:
- We support the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty
- We are committed to ensuring no disadvantage, and giving special consideration where appropriate.
- We have educated and trained all relevant staff to identify and respond to veterans’ needs.
- We support the UK Armed Forces community as an employer.
Let us know your status
Please let a member of staff know if you, or your immediate family, have ever served in the UK Armed Forces so that we can best support your care needs.
Being flagged as a member of the Armed Forces community in your NHS medical notes will help ensure you are able to access specific veterans’ health services, such as those for mental and physical health.
Members of the Armed Forces community may be 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).
This however, is always subject to clinical need, and doesn’t entitle you to go ahead ahead of someone with a higher clinical need.
What other support is available?
We work with a range of extra services for the Armed Forces community, and can refer you to, any that could benefit you. These can include:
- Royal British Legion, SSAFA, Combat Stress, and Help for Heroes
- Defence Medical Welfare Service officers can assist patients and service users in identifying services provided by service charities and other organisations
- Op COURAGE, the NHS mental health service for veterans, 020 3317 6818
- Op RESTORE provides care and treatment to those with a Service-attributable physical health condition. Located in 13 major trauma centres and with links to four NHS trusts, the network works closely with Defence Medical Services, national centres of clinical expertise, Op COURAGE and military charities, to provide holistic care. Access to Op RESTORE requires a primary care referral by emailing imperial.oprestore@nhs.net.
- Veterans Trauma Network, the NHS physical health service for veterans who have received a service related injury
- Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Families Federations to support family members of the Armed Forces community
- Scotty’s Little Soldiers, Reading Forces, and Little Troopers for children of the Armed Forces