Help for heroes as NHS trained to support veterans and families

Thousands of veterans, military personnel and their families are on course to receive better healthcare with NHS staff trained to help them with the unique challenges they may face. Not only may they require specialist care for physical injuries, there is growing awareness of the need for mental health support for conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

As part of a £1.8million new programme, NHS workers will be trained to identify patients with a background in the armed forces and provide them with personalised care.

Louise Ansari, who runs Healthwatch England, said: "We hear from veterans who struggle to get the care they need because doctors and NHS staff aren't familiar with their unique medical needs, often resulting from injuries, stresses or traumas that they experienced during their service years.

"Training NHS staff to provide care that addresses the unique needs of veterans is a vital step towards ensuring those who served in our armed forces can live healthy and well in civilian life."

James Needham, chief executive of Help for Heroes, said:"As we remember the fallen, we also remain at the side of those living with the impact of their service. Our armed forces community deserves care that truly recognises their unique experiences and needs, and this is a positive step forward in improving how veterans are supported across England."

Health Secretary Wes Streeting pledged the programme would deliver real change.

He said: "As we mark Remembrance Sunday, we're honouring our Armed Forces not just with words, but with action. We owe serving personnel and veterans nothing less than the best.

"Too many of our armed forces, both serving and veterans, face a system that doesn't fully understand their needs - that changes today."

Defence Secretary John Healey added: "This Government will serve our veterans and our Armed Forces just as they have served us."

Gregg Stevenson, a former soldier and Paralympics champion who now works as a regional trainer with the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance, described the new training programme as "vital".

He said: "After being injured in Afghanistan, I never imagined I'd one day be working in the NHS - yet here I am, 15 years on, helping to train and educate staff to better understand and meet the health needs of the armed forces community. The NHS was there for me when I sustained life-changing injuries, and the care I received inspired me to give back."

Sir Nick Pope, who chairs the Confederation of Service Charities (Cobseo), said: "Most of our service personnel join well, serve well, and leave well to continue leading valued and fulfilled lives, but there are some members of our armed forces community who require additional specialised care as a result of service."