Armed forces veterans

This is our page specifically for armed forces veterans and immediate members of military families. We are accredited as an armed forces veteran friendly practice by the Royal College of General Practitioners. You can see our veterans’ patient charter here. Our veteran clinical lead is Dr Olesya Atkinson.

We hope you find the following resources helpful. Please let our reception team know if you are an armed forces veteran so that we can update your records.

  • Blesma

    Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is an Armed Forces charity 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 sight.
    They support these men and women in their communities throughout the UK.

    Phone
    020 8590 1124

    Website
    blesma.org

    Email
    info@blesma.org

  • Blind Veterans UK

    Help for vision-impaired ex-Servicemen and women to rebuild their lives after sight loss.

    Website
    www.blindveterans.org.uk

  • Combat Stress

    Combat Stress are the UK’s leading charity for veteran’s mental health.
    They provide specialist treatment and support for veterans from every service and conflict to give them hope and a future.

    Phone
    0800 138 1619

    Text
    07537 404719

    Website
    www.combatstress.org.uk

    Email
    helpline@combatstress.org.uk

  • Contact

    Contact is a group of charities working with the NHS and the MOD. They want to make it simpler for the military community to find support with their mental wellbeing.

    Website
    www.contactarmedforces.co.uk

  • Gloucestershire Armed Forces Veteran Connect

    News and round up of useful resources put together by the Gloucestershire Armed Forces Veterans group.

    Website
    www.glosafv.blogspot.com

  • Help for Heroes – Hidden Wounds Service

    Help for Heroes’ Hidden Wounds Service provides free and confidential support to Ex-Service personnel, their families and the families of those still serving.

    Phone
    0808 2020 144

    Website
    www.helpforheroes.org.uk

    Email
    hidden.wounds@helpforheroes.org.uk

  • Integrated Personal Commissioning for Veterans Framework (IPC4V)

    IPC4V provides a personalised care approach for serving personnel who have complex and enduring, service attributable physical, neurological and mental health conditions.

    It provides a framework for effectively planning and delivering personalised care to support an improved discharge planning process from the military.

    Website
    www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/armed-forces

  • NHS Healthcare

    How the NHS can help if you’re in military service or a veteran.

    Website
    www.nhs.uk

  • NHS Mental Health Care for Veterans

    Helpful information on mental healthcare for veterans.

    Download
    NHS mental health care for veterans (PDF)

  • NHS Veterans’ Prosthetics Scheme

    The Government recently announced it was making £11 million available to spend on prosthetics and improve rehabilitation services across the country for ex-servicemen and women who are amputees.
    The NHS Veterans’ Prosthetics page provides more information on the scheme and how veterans can apply.

    Website
    Veterans, service leavers, and non-mobilised reservists – NHS

  • Op COURAGE

    Op COURAGE is an NHS mental health specialist service designed to help serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists, armed forces veterans and their families. Everyone at Op COURAGE is either from the armed forces community or has experienced working with serving personnel, reservists, veterans, and their families, who have experienced forms of mental health and trauma.

    Website
    www.nhs.uk/opcourage

  • Op NOVA

    Op NOVA provides one to one non-clinical support to veterans who are at risk of being arrested or already have been, are due to leave prison or have been released from prison. Veterans accessing the service have access to a range of practical and emotional help, along with being supported by an expert case worker.

    Website
    www.forcesemployment.org.uk/programmes/op-nova

  • Op RESTORE

    Op RESTORE provides care and treatment to those with a physical health condition or injury sustained as a result of service.

    Located in 13 major trauma centres, the network works closely with Defence Medical Services, national centres of clinical expertise, Op COURAGE and military charities, to provide holistic care.

    Access to Op RESTORE requires a GP referral by contacting the email address below.

    Email
    imperial.oprestore@nhs.net.

    Website
    www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-community

  • Out of hours and immediate support

    Samaritans –  freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org – to access confidential emotional support for feelings of distress, despair or suicide thoughts.

    Togetherall – a safe online service providing access to millions with anxiety, depression and other common mental health issues. Free for serving personnel, veterans, family members and carers.

    Shout – a crisis text support service for people in the military community who are struggling and need immediate support to get through a crisis. Text CONTACT to 85258.

    NHS 111 – to access medical help fast but when it’s not a 999 emergency, call 111 (available 24 hours).

  • RAFA

    The RAF Association is committed to supporting the RAF Family, whether currently serving, or former-serving, in a wide range of ways, delivering help and support where it is needed.

    Phone
    0300 102 1919

    Website
    www.rafa.org.uk

    Email
    advice@rafbf.org.uk

  • Royal British Legion – Veterans’ medical funds

    The Royal British Legion’s Veterans’ Medical Funds programme provides support for veterans with hearing loss and serious physical injury.

    Phone
    0808 802 8080

    Website
    www.britishlegion.org.uk

    Email
    MedicalFunds@britishlegion.org.uk

  • SSAFA

    Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association provide lifelong support to those who are serving or have served in the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines or the Royal Air Force, and to their families.

    They have a branch in Gloucestershire

    Phone
    0800 731 4880

    Website
    www.ssafa.org.uk
    www.ssafa.org.uk/gloucestershire

  • Veteran Friendly GP Practice Accreditation

    The Royal College of General Practitioners, supported by NHS England, are rolling out the veteran friendly GP practice accreditation scheme across England.

    This scheme, which helps to ensure practices are equipped to best care for veterans and their families, has already accredited over 2,000 surgeries, including Berkeley Place Surgery.

    Website
    www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/resources

  • Veterans’ Gateway

    The first point of contact for veterans seeking support.

    Veterans’ Gateway put veterans and their families in touch with the organisations best placed to help with the information, advice and support they need.

    Phone
    08‍08 80‍2 12‍12

    Text
    81212

    Website
    www.veteransgateway.org.uk

  • Veterans’ Personalised Care Programme

    Veterans with a complex and life-long health condition may be eligible for the veterans personalised care programme.

    Eligible individuals will have a single personalised care plan for all their health and wellbeing needs that is developed with them and a range of organisations, including health and social care and military charities.

    To apply, individuals should contact their integrated care board.

    Website
    www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/upc/ipc-for-veterans

  • Veterans’ Prosthetics Panel (VPP)

    The VPP provides funding on a named veteran basis to NHS Disablement Service Centre’s (DSC) to ensure that veterans who have service attributable limb loss can access high quality prosthetics regardless of which DSC they attend.

    Website
    www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/military-healthcare