Armed Forces and Veterans forum

There is a specific requirement for strategic health authorities to maintain and develop networks with the Armed Forces and to ensure the Armed Forces Network Covenant is met.

Charles Howeson, vice chair of NHS South of England, has been appointed as Armed Forces and Veterans Champion for NHS South of England and promotes and provides leadership for all Armed Forces issues, as well as acting as a focal point for Armed Forces and veterans’ health and wellbeing across the region.

The three strategic health authorities that make up NHS South of England have taken different approaches to implementing the requirements to maintain and develop networks with the Armed Forces.

Click here for information about the network in South East Coast north http://www.southeastcoast.nhs.uk/News%20&%20Events/NHS-joins-forces-with-military-for-veterans-healthcare.htm  

Click here for information about the network in South Central.

South Central now has an Armed Forces & Veterans Forum which brings together the expertise of the NHS, Ministry of Defence and relevant charities to plan and work together to improve the health and wellbeing of armed forces personnel, their families and veterans in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight

South Central priorities are concentrated on:

• Developing the forum to ensure that the Ministry of Defence, the South Central health organisations and appropriate third sector organisations are able to plan and work together, to improve the health and wellbeing of armed forces personnel, their families and veterans.
• A mental health and wellbeing work stream addressing the recommendations of the Murrison Fighting fit report:
  • Developing, supporting and monitoring identified mental health and wellbeing projects in the region
  • Development of a clinical leaders’ network for veterans mental health and wellbeing
  • Developing both capacity and capability around specialist post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The South West network operates across the SHA region, whereas networks in South Central and South East Coast operate at a Primary Care Trust level, supported by SHA-wide events. It is planned that the networks will continue to operate in this way, but issues from across all three networks will be collated by NHS South of England to provide a support and oversight function.

Specifically, NHS South of England will:

• Act as point of reference for the issues and aims from the three NHS South of England networks
• Support Defence Medical Services in their transition
• Assist delivery against the NHS operating plans
• Deliver and implement specific reviews and reports.

The NHS is responsible for Armed Forces secondary care in England, but not primary care. The commissioning responsibility for the Armed Forces, their families and veterans is split between the NHS and the Defence Military Services.

In addition to normal NHS responsibilities, the Defence Medical Services contracts with the NHS to provide secondary care facilities for forces based in the UK, administered by Ministry of Defence Hospital Units.  This includes contracts with three NHS Trusts/ NHS Foundation Trusts in NHS South of England:

• Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
• Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.

At the Ministry of Defence Hospital Units, there are agreements in place with the NHS Trusts to provide accelerated access for elective referrals of service personnel to meet operational requirements.

Downloads