Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded Veteran Aware accreditation for a second successive year, as part of its work to improve care provision for veterans and members of the armed forces and their families.
This accreditation, which is part of a programme delivered by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), is important recognition of the Trust’s continued commitment to ensuring Armed Forces patients and families receive appropriate and tailored support when accessing care.
Veteran Aware accreditation is a programme delivered by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), designed to support healthcare providers in understanding and meeting the needs of the Armed Forces community.
All NHS trusts in England, hospices and the independent healthcare sector are eligible to be considered for accreditation, with eight standards to be met. These include, demonstrating how they identify service users from the veteran and armed forces communities, ensuring they receive appropriate care, links with local veteran and Armed Forces community services, and how staff are trained to understand the needs of veterans and Armed Forces personnel.
Andy Hyett, chief operating officer at Hampshire Hospitals, said: “Being a Veteran Aware organisation is something we’re immensely proud of at Hampshire Hospitals. This reaccreditation recognises a continued commitment to all those within our Armed Forces community and we will work hard to keep ensure we offer the best possible support for those who have served and their loved ones.”
Hampshire Hospitals has also signed the Armed Forces Covenant, designed to help promote fair treatment for the Armed Forces community, removing disadvantage, and ensuring that they have the same access to services as the civilian community.
The Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) is a group of NHS providers, including acute, mental health, community, and ambulance trusts that have agreed to model the best care for, and support to, the Armed Forces community.
