Supporting the Armed Forces
We are an Armed Forces Friendly Organisation and as such, we support veterans and their families to be treated equally and fairly in their NHS patient journey, and in line with our commitments set out in the Armed Forces Covenant.
NELFT can help you to feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally through our various range of services. We have processes in place to identify, care for, give the necessary support and appropriate referrals to ex- serving personnel or currently serving, and their immediate family members. We have Armed Forces Champions amongst our staff who are trained with necessary knowledge and can mentor others to support this specific niche of patients. Therefore, please do not hesitate to identify yourself as a member of the Armed Forces on our patient record form and speak to a staff member if you need any support. Furthermore, every patient’s veteran status is recorded when they notify the Trust, and the organisation supports veterans of the Armed Forces, whose condition relates directly to their military service, to be prioritised, subject to clinical need. As a mental health Trust, we endeavour to ensure veterans receive care from healthcare professionals who understand the Armed Forces culture.
In addition, NELFT is part of the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme of the Armed Forces Covenant and we have pledged to support members of the Armed Forces Community with employment, work placements and careers advice. For more information, please visit our NELFT Careers website.
Please be rest assured that if you have served in the Armed Forces, you and your close family members can have a wide support from charities and healthcare service providers. This support can range from rehabilitation or mental health support to housing, financial help, and even help with socialising.
If you would like assistance with our care pathways, or if you have any other questions, please get in touch with Dr Syed Ali Naqvi (Armed Forces Clinical Lead at NELFT) by emailing: syedali.naqvi@nelft.nhs.uk
Please see all providers below and we hope this information will help you.
General help
Veterans Gateway
The Veterans’ Gateway service is the first point of contact for all Tri-Service veterans, and their families. Its expert content covers welfare areas: housing, employment, finances, living independently, mental wellbeing, families and communities, and physical health.
Advice and support for veterans & ex-forces | Veterans' Gateway (veteransgateway.org.uk)
The Confederation of Service Charities (Cobseo)
It holds a database with all charities that provide support for serving personnel, service leavers and their families.
Members Directory Archive - Cobseo
The Royal British Legion
The country’s largest Armed Forces charity
They provide lifelong support to serving and ex-serving personnel and their families wherever and whenever it’s needed.
Royal British Legion | Armed Forces Charity
SSAFA
SSAFA helps the armed forces community in a number of ways, such as providing direct support to individuals in need of physical or emotional care.
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity
ASDIC
(The Association of Service Drop-In Centres)
It represents and links veterans’ Drop-Ins across the country. Sometimes called Hubs or Centres, Drop-Ins offer a variety of welfare and mental health support, together with comradeship and a sense of wellbeing, to the ex-military community and their families, and ASDIC helps them to enhance the service they can provide and make them more accessible.
Welcome - Association of Service Drop-In Centres (asdic.org.uk)
Walking with wounded
They deliver employment, mental health, care coordination and volunteering programmes in collaboration with the NHS to get those who served, and their families, whether mentally, socially or physically wounded, back on their feet and making a positive contribution once more.
Welcome - Walking With The Wounded
Help for heroes
Helping veterans, service personnel and their families
They provide physical, psychological, financial and welfare support for as long as you need it. They also support the families of wounded veterans because they too can be affected by their loved one’s wounds.
UK Armed Forces & Military Veterans Charity | Help for Heroes
Defence Transition Services
Run by the MOD’s Veterans UK
It exists to provide information and support for those service leavers and their families who are most likely to face challenges as they leave the armed forces and adjust to civilian life.
Help for service leavers from Defence Transition Services - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Op Nova
Provides support for veterans who are in contact with the justice system, enabling them to access the services they need.
Employment
CTP
The CTP provides resettlement recruitment services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. Regardless of time served, all members of the Armed Forces can benefit from CTP employment support when leaving Service.
Resettlement for Ex-Service Personnel | Ex Armed Forces Recruitment from CTP
The Poppy Factory
The Poppy Factory supports veterans with health conditions on their journey into employment, helping them overcome any barriers.
Employment support for ex-Forces job seekers - The Poppy Factory
The Forces Employment Charity
They provide life-long, life-changing support, jobs and training opportunities to Service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families.
RFEA - The Forces Employment Charity
Step into Health
Through Step into Health, members of the Armed Forces community can connect to NHS organisations to set up training opportunities, clinical and general work placements, insight days and receive application support. The programme provides a dedicated pathway into a career in the NHS.
Lifeworks
It offers tailored employability support to Armed Forces veterans and the families of those currently serving. Courses and support are tailored to suit the requirements of those who need it.
Mental health
OP Courage
The new name for the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS), Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and Veterans’ Mental Health High-Intensity Service (HIS)
Op Courage is the Veterans mental health and wellbeing service. It provides specialist care and support for Reservists, Service leavers and their families.
https://www.veteransservicelse.nhs.uk/
Mental health support for veterans, service leavers and reservists - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Togetherall
Togetherall offers online mental wellbeing support 24/7 where you can share your concerns with others who feel like you. It’s safe, anonymous and has counsellors available. This service is free to all armed forces personnel, veterans and their families (16+).
Mental health support for all UK Armed Forces | Togetherall
Combat Stress
If you need to talk to somebody, Combat Stress have a dedicated mental health support helpline for veterans and their families. This provides confidential advice and support 24/7 and is free to call for veterans, family members and carers.
Mental health services for veterans | Combat Stress
Sexual trauma experience (NHS)
There are sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) offer medical, practical and emotional support to anyone who has been raped sexually assaulted or abused. They have specially trained doctors, nurses and support workers to care for you. Help is available 24 hours a day.
Health & Social Care
Defence medical welfare service
They provide medical welfare to the armed forces, veterans, NHS staff, emergency services, The Merchant Navy and their immediate family when they are receiving treatment in hospital.
DMWS – Defence Medical Welfare Service
OpRESTORE (formerly Veterans Trauma Network)
The Veterans Trauma Network (VTN) is now called Op RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service. This brings the service in line with other Armed Forces healthcare services provided by the NHS in England, Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service; Op NOVA; Supporting Veterans in the Justice System and, most recently Op COMMUNITY; Armed Forces Community Support, helping to build a recognisable suite of services.
Op RESTORE is a service for anyone who has served at least one day in the UK Armed Forces and, as a result of their service, acquired a significant, lasting physical illness or injury. Op RESTORE will continue to accept only GP referrals; GPs can obtain a referral form by emailing imperial.oprestore@nhs.net
VTN Overview.pdf (veteransgateway.org.uk)
Blind Veterans UK
Blind Veterans UK helps ex-Service men and women of every generation rebuild their lives after sight loss. They provide rehabilitation, training, practical advice and emotional support to blind veterans.
Blind Veterans UK - Rebuilding Lives After Sight Loss
Veterans Hearing
The UK Veterans Hearing Foundation was created to help UK Veterans of all ages, ethnicities and gender to be able to access quality hearing aids, with support for associated tinnitus and mental health issues caused by their military service.
Funding & Support For Hearing, Tinnitus & Mental Health - UK Veterans Hearing Foundation
Prosthetics Services across UK
Nine Disablement Service Centres (DSCs) across England have been selected to provide enhanced services to veterans who have lost a limb as a result of their service in the armed forces.
- Bristol – Bristol Centre for Enablement, North Bristol NHS Trust
- Leicester – Leicester Specialist Mobility Centre, provided by Blatchford Clinical Services on behalf of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs)
- Sheffield – Mobility and Specialised Rehabilitation Centre, Northern General Hospital
- Carlisle – Disablement Services Centre, Cumberland Infirmary, North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Preston – Specialist Mobility & Rehabilitation Centre, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Stanmore – Stanmore Prosthetic Rehabilitation Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust
- Portsmouth – Prosthetic Regional Rehabilitation Department, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
- Birmingham – West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust
- Cambridge – Addenbrooke's Rehabilitation Clinic, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
In addition to providing support to nine DSCs, a Veterans' Prosthetics Panel (VPP) was established in 2012. The VPP was designed to ensure that veterans could access high-quality prosthetics regardless of which DSC they attend. Applications for funding from the VPP are made by a veteran's prosthetist.
The National Prosthetics Service (NPS) is Scotland's centre for designing and fitting prosthetic limbs.
Blesma UK
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is dedicated to assisting serving and ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight in the honourable service of our country.
Military Charity for Limbless Veterans | Blesma
Disablement Services Centres (NHS)
They offer prosthetics, artificial limbs, orthotics, wheelchairs, complex seating systems and environmental controls.
Socialising
Breakfast clubs
There you can socialise- meet people who breathe and speak the same language as you, share the same experience and get help if you need it:
The Not Forgotten Association
They provide events for wounded serving personnel and disabled veterans, which improve physical and mental health, address isolation and loneliness, and promote a sense of community and balance. This enables beneficiaries to live a normal, if not better life.
The Not Forgotten - The Not Forgotten
The RBL Network for Carers
The purpose of this network is to help Armed Forces carers feel less lonely and isolated because of their caring role.
RBL Network for Carers | Local Communities Support | Royal British Legion
Addictions
Rehab Recovery (Addictions)
Rehab Recovery is able to recommend specific addiction treatments applicable for members of the armed forces and veterans. Learn about a range of evidence-based treatments for your needs or the needs of your loved ones.
Addiction in the Armed Forces: Getting Help - Rehab Recovery (rehab-recovery.co.uk)
GamCare (Gambling)
GamCare provides free information, advice and support for anyone affected by problem gambling and also operates the National Gambling Helpline, either over the phone or via web chat, plus a moderated online Forum and chatrooms.
East of England Gambling Service
A collaboration between CNWL and the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, the East of England Gambling Service is free and run by the NHS.
Housing
STOLL (Housing)
They provide affordable, high-quality housing and support services to enable vulnerable and disabled veterans to lead fulfilling, independent lives.
NHAS (National Homelessness Advice Service)
They take positive steps to prevent homelessness and improve access to housing among ex-Service personnel and their families.
Housing_Options_For_Ex_Service_Personnel_GUIDE_NHAS_1.pdf
Shelter
Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through advice, support and legal services. For free and independent advice from Shelter, visit:
Get help from Shelter - Shelter England
Op Fortitude
Op FORTITUDE is the pathway for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness into supported housing or to keep them in their current home.
The Armed Forces family members
Army Families Federation
The AFF is the independent voice of Army families and works hard to improve the quality of life for Army families around the world – on any aspect that is affected by the Army lifestyle. and works hard to improve the quality of life for Army families around the world.
Army Families Federation - Supporting Army families worldwide (aff.org.uk)
SCSS- (Supporting Children in State Schools)
Service Children In State Schools (SCISS) is a voluntary affiliated network of state-maintained schools in England that have any number of Service children on roll.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting children & young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Home | Scotty's Little Soldiers (scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk)
Reading Force
Supporting Forces and Ex-Forces families with free fun shared reading resources and activities.
Op Community
It is an easily accessible point of contact with a dedicated email and phone number to support the Armed Forces community family members and carers navigating the NHS systems and prevent disadvantage with due regard to the Armed Forces Covenant. They will be able to assist directly with your query or be able to provide advice on avenues of support.
Little Troopers
Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting all children with one or both parents serving in our British Armed Forces (regular or reserve).