Publish date: 9 November 2023
On Wednesday 8 November colleagues from West London NHS Trust got together to celebrate receiving accreditation from Veteran Aware - the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), a national NHS quality improvement programme.
The VCHA’s aim is to make sure that patients from the Armed Forces Community, including families, are paid due regard and 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 Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve, or who have served, in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
The Trust signed the Armed Forces Covenant in January 2022 and at the same time set up an Armed Forces Community Staff Network to enable members of staff with a background or interest in the Armed Forces to work together to improve services for military personnel.
Gail Dearing, Associate Director of Community & Recovery Mental Health Services:
“It has been a privilege to meet so many people impacted by combat through the Armed Forces Community Staff Network we have set up in West London including veterans, reservists and family members of those who served.”
“The Trust is honoured to have received the Veteran Aware accreditation. There is now plenty of work to do to maintain this accredited status including welcoming more staff with Armed Forces lived experience to the network and to work in the Trust. We will also be improving our care and support offer to Armed Forces personnel and their families in our local communities.”