Veterans resources

Veterans resources - intro
At Whittington Health NHS Trust, we are dedicated to supporting veterans and the armed forces community, aligning our principles with the Armed Forces Covenant.
 
Back in 2019,  our organisation signed the Armed Forces Covenant as a way to show our commitment to employees as reservists and veterans.
 
In April 2022, we received  the bronze award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and in  2024,we became accredited as a Veteran Aware Trust by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA).
 
If you or your spouse/partner have served in the UK armed forces, please do let us know.  Identifying yourself as a veteran in your NHS medical records will help ensure you have access to specialised veterans’ health services, for example, mental health resources.
 
As part of North Central London's (NCL) Access Policy, All veterans are entitled to priority access to NHS care (including hospital, primary, or community care) for conditions related to their military service (note that this is subject to clinical need and does not mean you will be prioritised over someone who needs care more urgently).

List of resources

  • Little Troopers. Little Troopers is a charity supporting children of parents who are serving in the British Armed Forces. The charity has resources available to support and aid any separation period when their parent is away on service. The charity has been successful in keeping families connected.
  • SSAFA. The Armed Forces Charity. The SSAFA provides support for armed forces personnel. The charity is a community that provides support for physical and emotional care. Some of the challenges that the charity can support with are addiction, relationship breakdown, homelessness, debt, post-traumatic stress, disability, and depression. Some of these problems can become apparent when people leave the forces.
  • Haig Housing. Helps to provide homes for eligible veterans.
  • Help for Heroes.  The charity supports veterans and their families in their homes and communities across the UK.  The charity aims to improve the physical and mental health of serving or veteran personnel. The charity can also provide counselling, help people manage their health conditions and fund equipment.
  • Veterans’ Gateway.  The charity provides a hub linking information and services for veterans. The most viewed questions on the Veterans’ Gateway relate to self-help are finding homes, access to public housing, advice for buying homes, mortgage advice, finding affordable and rental houses.
  • Op Restore. The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service. Op Restore is an NHS service that provides specialist care and treatment to veteran who have physical health problems as a result of their time in the armed forces.
  • Op Courage is an NHS mental health specialist service serving personnel and their families.  Op Courage works in partnership with the Defence Medical Services (DMS).  The service empowers people to recognise and treat early signs of mental health problems, providing support for substance misuse, accessing NHS Talking Therapies, and supporting families affected by mental health problems.
  • Op Fortitude. Is a centralised referral pathway into veteran supported housing.  The team works with veterans at risk of experiencing homelessness. It helps veterans with finding suitable accommodation or maintaining their current home.
  • Op NOVA.  Is for veterans of HM Armed Forces.  The charity supports veterans that are in contact with the justice system in England.
  • Poppy Factor - this service supports veterans with health conditions and their families into employment.
  • Forces Employment Charity also helps jobs and training opportunities to veterans and their families.
  • Defence Medical Welfare Service is an independent charity providing medical welfare to those that have served. The charity has helped people by finding a safe house to stay, support with substance misuse, support for mental health treatment and assistance with finding employment.
  • Royal British Legion is a charity that helps veterans and their families. The charity provides advice, guidance, and rehabilitation for serving personnel and veterans.
  • Veterans Aid: The charity helps ex-servicemen an women who are homeless.
  • Blind Veterans UK is a charity that supports vision impaired veterans with rehabilitation, training, advice, and emotional support.
  • Blesma, the veteran’s charity helps men and woman who have lost limbs, eyes to rebuild their lives with rehabilitation and welfare support.
Last updated16 Jul 2024
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