66% of England’s 211 trusts have now been accredited as Veteran Aware by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA). This means they are committed to providing the best standards of care for the Armed Forces Community.
The VCHA is a group of NHS providers, including acute, mental health, community, and ambulance trusts that have agreed to be exemplars of the best care for, and support to, the armed forces’ community. Its ambition is to accredit all English NHS trusts as Veteran Aware by March 2024.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation that the Armed Forces Community should be treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public and commercial services, with special provision made in appropriate cases for those who have sacrificed the most. Earlier this year the Covenant became enforceable in law when statutory guidance was issued. The evidence suggested that members of the armed forces received variable levels of care once they left military service.
VCHA Chairman, Prof Tim Briggs CBE, said: “More and more Trusts are seeing the value of Veteran Aware accreditations as seen through the numbers of Trusts that are now accredited. We now stand at 66% of NHS Trusts across England, which is a testament both to the dedication of my team and to the wider NHS family who work tirelessly on behalf of the military community despite the many pressures they will be under.”
Team lead Lt Col (Retd) Guy Benson said: “We know there’s still a lot to do, but we also know this is the right thing to do. We know that the Armed Forces Community, be they regular, reserves, veterans, spouses or their children, can face disadvantage and variation within the NHS. “Those who have served are owed a debt of gratitude for the service they have given the nation.
“This isn’t about queue jumping NHS waiting lists. It’s about making sure that those patients who currently work, or who have worked in the military, as well as service families, receive personalised care, taking into account their military commitments, which improves patient outcomes.
“So, if your local trust isn’t Veteran Aware then point them towards the VCHA Team. Chances are we are already in discussion with them, but please do close the loop to be on the safe side!”
Accreditation is available to NHS acute, ambulance, community, and mental health providers in England, and independent care providers, including residential, nursing and care homes and hospices. Integrated Care Boards, once more mature, will be invited to join the VCHA.
The process towards becoming accredited is straightforward. It involves providers sharing good practice, linking with local services for the Armed Forces Community, raising staff awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant, supporting the UK Armed Forces as an employer and in meeting the eight points of the VCHA manifesto. There is no charge to providers.
The VCHA will be holding an Annual Best Practice annual event on 20 September 2023.
Keep an eye out for further details on our website: Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance – Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (veteranaware.nhs.uk) or follow us on Twitter @NHSVeteranAware.
