It is estimated that there are around 2.4 million British Armed Forces Veterans in Great Britain. Whilst most will have similar levels of health to the general population, there are still many who have social, emotional or physical needs as a result of their service. In 2011 the UK Government created the Armed Forces Covenant to enshrine a national commitment that Veterans and the Armed Forces community. We are strongly committed to this and how it applies to the healthcare needs of our Veteran and Armed Forces Community patients, and as such we are an RCGP accredited Veteran Friendly practice.
A UK Veteran is someone who has served in the British Armed Forces, Regular or Reserve, for at least one full day. Veterans also include members of the Merchant Marines who have served in an active war zone, such as WW2 convoys, the Falklands Conflict and Gulf War, and Gurkha veterans who have indefinite leave to remain in the UK. It does not include a person who has served with the Armed Forces of another nation but who now lives in the UK.
If you are a veteran and have not told us about this, or if you are unsure whether we have formally recorded this in your medical record, please let us know. You could send an email to our central postbox at post.master1@nhs.net or let a member of staff know when you are next in the practice. Telling us about this can help our staff understand your needs and ensure you are appropriately referred to medical and veteran support services where these are required as a result of you service.