and supporters
Members of the Armed Forces, veterans and reservists will not be disadvantaged when accessing healthcare at West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust thanks to its ‘Veteran Aware’ accreditation.
The Trust’s accreditation will benefit Hertfordshire’s military population which numbers nearly 26,000 veterans and 34,000 spouses and children, as well as Trust staff who hail from the Armed Forces community.
Families from a military background may experience frequent moves due to postings which makes it difficult to receive good continuity of care.
To overcome this challenge, the Trust will identify how many veterans, reservists and members of the Armed Forces use their services so they can provide the best and most appropriate care.
To support staff from a military background, the Trust has set up an Armed Forces Staff Network, providing access to specific Armed Forces wellbeing services, and will introduce an Armed Forces policy to reinforce its commitment to colleagues.
Dr Mike van der Watt, West Herts’ Chief Medical Officer and executive lead for the Veteran Aware programme said: "As someone who previously served in the Army, this accreditation is important to me personally.
"It’s vital that we ensure patients and colleagues from the Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged when accessing healthcare."
"Becoming accredited as Veteran Aware will reflect our commitment to our servicemen and women and recognises the important role we can play in better supporting those who have served their country."