WORCESTERSHIRE Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been formally recognised as ‘Veteran Aware’ by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA).
The Trust celebrated the achievement and marked the start of Armed Forces Awareness Week with a flag raising ceremony and minute’s silence for staff, patients and visitors at Worcestershire Royal Hospital on Monday, June 20, accompanied by a Salvation Army bugler.
The VCHA is 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 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 across the NHS.
Dr Christine Blanshard, chief medical officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded Veteran Aware status which recognises our commitment to improving the care for our armed forces veterans and their families.
“Our staff include many reservists, armed forces leavers and military families, and we are grateful for the skills that these experiences bring to the Trust, helping us to deliver our purpose to put patients first.”
VCHA Regional Lead David Wood said: “Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust have demonstrated clearly their achievement.
“They now join 118 other Trusts in the region and nationally already accredited as Veteran Aware.”
