The hospice has been formally recognised as Veteran Aware by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), a group of NHS healthcare providers in England committed to providing the best standards of care for the Armed Forces community, based on the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. The Armed Forces Covenant, which recently passed into law, 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 aim is to develop, share and drive the implementation of best practice that will improve Armed Forces veterans’ care, while at the same time raising standards for everyone. We identify veterans as soon as they are referred or admitted as a patient to ensure they receive the right care and support. The hospice has appointed Veteran Aware champions and has been reaching out to work with local Armed Forces organisations. We have also shared information and useful links with staff to share with veterans who may need signposting towards additional support.

Over the last year we have identified 56 of our 1,714 patients as being a veteran, a total of 3.3%, which is in line with the most recent census results that showed 3.8% of the United Kingdom population is a veteran. The Veteran Covenant Healthcare Alliance is committed to improving armed forces and veteran care whilst raising standards for all.