All GP practices should be 'veteran-friendly', says head of Rutland armed forces support service
Local healthcare providers can sign up to be veteran friendly if they provide extra support for ex-military personnel
The Chief Exec of Loughborough Wellbeing Centre, which helps support veterans in Rutland, wants whoever wins the General Election to look at making all GP practices 'veteran-friendly'.
The Military Veteran Aware Accreditation scheme allows GPs to qualify for veteran friendly status by offering added support for ex-military personnel facing challenges when returning to civilian life.
It was taken on by NHS England and the Royal College of GPs as a nationwide initiative in 2018, so family doctors can better identify and treat veterans, as well as offer them specialist care.
Helen Carter, who is CEO at Loughborough Wellbeing Centre and the Veterans Wellbeing Hub, set up to support serving and former members of the armed forces in Rutland, said: "It would be great to see more support being given, certainly via the GP practices. I know that GP practices can become accredited, but it's a voluntary scheme...
...we should all be able to go to a GP practice that is accredited; that understands the needs of veterans because it is a win-win really for the GP practices as well, because they can then refer us to those specific things that are there for veterans."
Ms Carter, who previously served in the Royal Military Police and served in Bosnia in the 1990s, added: "It would actually help to free up some of the waiting times and some of those services. If I need a new knee I can go via Op Restore, which is another part of the veteran network for our physical health...
...therefore somebody else who needs their knee replacing could actually take my place because I'm going in through a different service...
...if it's this existing government, or another government, it would be great to know that they are doing all they can for veterans.
I think it needs to be genuine; it needs to feel that we are being listened to and looked after. it isn't just a tick in a box because this is a particular group of people who've given up a lot for their country."