Supporting patients as a Veteran Aware Trust

We are proud to be a Veteran Aware Trust,  this means that we have been reaccredited from the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), to acknowledge our commitment to a number of key pledges including:

• Training relevant staff on veteran specific culture or needs
• 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
• Providing information to ensure that veterans, reservist and service families are aware of appropriate charities or NHS services beneficial to them. For example mental health services or support with financial and/or benefit claims
• Supporting the armed forces as an employer.

For more information please see our leaflet or poster.

Please let us know if you or your spouse/partner have ever served in the UK armed forces so that we can best support your care needs.

Being flagged as a veteran in your NHS medical notes will help ensure you are able to access specific veterans’ health services, such as those for mental health, hearing loss, limb amputation and wheelchairs. All veterans are 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). Please note this is always subject to clinical need and will not entitle you to be prioritised ahead of someone with a greater clinical need.

The Trust has designated veterans and armed forces Dyad, their contact details are:

Peter Williams: Peter.Williams3@sthk.nhs.uk

Carol Fowler: carol.fowler@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk

Darren Mooney: Darren.mooney@sthk.nhs.uk

Services Providing Help and Support

The Veterans’ Gateway is a first point of contact for veterans and your families, and can put you in touch with both national and local organisations best placed to help with the information, advice and support you may need.

The Veterans’ Gateway can be contacted 24/7 by telephone (0808 802 1212), by text (81212) or online at www.veteransgateway.org.uk

Armed Forces Covenant is the nation’s commitment to support those who are currently serving or have served in the armed forces and their families. This website provides useful links to support and advice including financial, housing, education, training and employment plus lots more https://www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/support-and-advice/veterans/

SSAFA Merseyside is the Armed forces charity that provides lifelong support to those who are serving or have served in any of the UK Armed Forces.

Contact by telephone on 0800 260 6767, email merseyside.branch@ssafa.org.uk 

Website https://www.ssafa.org.uk/merseyside

Breakfast Clubs

Breakfast clubs are free to attend and exist to help veterans and often currently serving Armed forces personnel by meeting face to face in a relaxed, safe social environment. They are free to attend, details of local clubs can be found by clicking on the link below.

https://afvbc.com/armed_forces_veterans_breakfast_clubs_directory

MoD Wraparound Childcare Scheme

Op COURAGE - veterans mental health and wellbeing service

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, expert help is available from Op COURAGE: the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.

It doesn’t matter if you’re due to leave the Armed Forces, just left the Armed Forces or left many years ago, we are here to help and we understand the courage it takes to speak to someone.

When you contact us, you will speak to people who:

• Understand the Armed Forces and military life
• Are either from the Armed Forces community or highly experienced in working with serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families
• Will work with you to make sure you get the right type of specialist care, support and treatment

For more information please click on the links below:

Veterans, Reservists, Cadets Volunteers Guaranteed Interview Scheme

Any veteran who opts into the scheme and meets the minimum criteria required for a role will be guaranteed to move to the next stage of selection, such as an interview.

The scheme is designed to encourage more veterans to join the Trust when they leave the armed forces ensuring Mersey and West Lancashire NHS Trust fully benefits from the wide ranging skills and talents in the armed forces community. It will also boost the employment prospects of those who have served, helping them to advance their careers beyond the armed forces.

How to apply under the scheme?

• Show that they meet the essential criteria described in the person specification
• Answer 'yes' to the question on the Trust’s job application form 'do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?'