Nottingham hospitals celebrates Veteran Aware reaccreditation during Armed Forces Week
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) has celebrated its continued commitment to military families during Armed Forces Week by being reaccredited as Veteran Aware.
Veteran Aware recognises the Trust’s commitment to providing the best standards of care to the armed forces community.
Re-accreditation reviews are held, by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) every three years .
Amanda Morledge, Armed Forces Clinical Champion, said: “I am delighted and proud that NUH has gained our VCHA reaccreditation and that we can announce this during Armed Forces Week. This is a week of celebration, where we say thank you to the armed forces for their service.
“ It’s a team effort. A small but enthusiastic armed forces team continue to work to develop and provide support for our military community. As a Veteran Aware hospital, we support our military community which includes those who serve, those who have served, their spouses and children; both patients and staff alike.”
The VCHA’s aim is to make sure patients from the armed forces community are not disadvantaged in terms of access to and outcomes of healthcare, as a result of their military life in line with the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant.
The NHS is committed to the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise to those who serve, or who have served in the UK Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
To achieve Veteran Aware status, NUH had to submit evidence in support of eight standards. These included demonstrating how we identify service users from veteran and Armed Forces communities to ensure they receive appropriate care , our links with local veteran and Armed Forces community services, and how our staff are trained to understand the needs of veterans and Armed Forces personnel.
Professor Tim Briggs, Chair of the VCHA, said: “We are delighted that NUH has re-accredited as Veteran Aware. NHS Veteran Aware accreditation demonstrates an organisations commitment to providing personalised care for the Armed Forces community, in England. With 91% of NHS trusts now accredited, and an increasing number of independent providers, NHS England is leading the way in its care for the Armed Forces community."
Tomorrow, Saturday 29 June, is Armed Forces Days and we want to say thank you to all our NUH armed forces veterans, reservists, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAV) and those with a family member who served.