Shropshire’s veterans are being urged to notify their registered GP of their service so they can access the right support. It is part of a new campaign to help improve veterans’ access to healthcare services backed by Stuart Anderson, South Shropshire’s Conservatives Parliamentary Candidate who is himself a veteran. Stuart said veterans should tell their GP practice if they have ever served in the UK Armed Forces, regardless of the length of service or when they left so they can get the right support for them. This also means that GPs and other healthcare professionals can better understand any health problems, particularly those related to a person’s time in the Armed Forces.
The campaign has been launched as the Government seeks to achieve 100% Veteran Accreditation in GP practices across the nation, as part of which they are encouraged to become ‘Veteran Friendly.’ The Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) is working together with NHS England and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to promote the Veteran Friendly Accreditation Scheme, designed to help GPs understand what medical issues are most common in veteran patients, saving them time in diagnosing and treating veterans. Accredited practices have a clinical lead for veterans’ issues; take steps to identify and record patients as veterans; undertake dedicated training to better understand the health needs of veterans and, where appropriate, refer them to specialist healthcare services designed especially for them to ensure that they receive the right diagnosis and referral to veteran mental and physical healthcare such as Op RESTORE and Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service. It is part of the commitment to driving better veteran health and recovery. 83.9% of Primary Care Networks in England currently include an accredited practice.
Stuart also welcomed the launch of the reinstated Veterans Mobility Fund, which is designed to meet the wellbeing needs of veterans to improve their quality of life. The £2.52 million fund, administered by Help for Heroes and Blesma, offers life-changing grants to support veterans with physical disabilities linked to their service or access mobility equipment not typically available on the NHS such as specialist wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Veterans can now apply through Op RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service, an NHS service available across England to increase veteran independence and choice.
Stuart Anderson said: “Two days before my 18th birthday, I suffered a high velocity gunshot wound during an Army training exercise. I was then told that my foot and possibly my lower leg would have to be amputated. Weeks of surgery thankfully went better than expected and I undertook an extensive rehabilitation programme. Having been through this, I now want to ensure that fellow veterans in Shropshire get the help and support that they need. That’s why I would encourage all fellow veterans to notify their registered GP of their service, regardless of the length of service or when they left. This is complemented by the recently launched £2.52 million Veterans Mobility Fund, offering life-changing grants for specialist equipment to support veterans with physical disabilities linked to their service. I also encourage all GP practices to think about applying for the Veteran Friendly Accreditation Scheme to help them better understand what medical issues are the most common to ensure veteran patients receive the right diagnosis and referrals.”
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer, said: “It is really important to tell your GP that you served so you can access all the veteran specific support services you are entitled to. I want to encourage any veterans to come forward and to seek help. We stand ready to support our veterans.”
