Veterans and Ex-Forces

Vet Friendly

We are proud to be an accredited Armed Forces Veteran Friendly GP Practice

Being accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners means that as a practice we can better identify and treat veterans, refer them, where appropriate, to dedicated NHS services and capture better data to improve future health provision.

 It also means that the NHS is better able to meet the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, which says the Armed Forces community, including veterans, should face no disadvantage in accessing health services and should receive priority care for military attributable conditions, subject to clinical need. 

A veteran is someone who has served in the British Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) for at least one day. Veterans also include any member of the Merchant Marine who has served in a war zone. This includes crew from convoys in World War 2 and more recently in the Falklands conflict and Gulf Wars. 

About 18,000 service people move back into civilian life every year and whilst most of these individuals have similar levels of health to the general population, around 2,000 leave on medical grounds. The top reasons for medical discharge are for issues relating to back, knees, mental health and hearing.

If you are a veteran please let us know!

For more information on how the NHS can help veterans and ex-forces personnel please visit the link below.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-community/veterans-service-leavers-non-mobilised-reservists/

We also recommend listening to DECLASSIFIED, a series of podcasts documenting stories from the military community to help, support and guide those suffering from mental and physical illness and injury.

https://declassifiedpodcast.com/

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Combat Stress

Combat Stress

 Combat Stress provides a range of community, outpatient and residential mental health services to veterans with complex mental health problems.

They provide services

  • in person,
  • via phone
  • online.

 

 

Their 24 hour helpline 0800 138 1619 remains available to all veterans and their families for confidential mental health advice and support.

 
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Op Kernow

Op Kernow is somewhere that ex-military personnel and their families in Cornwall can come for information on the best way forward. They will be able to put you in contact with all support services that are appropriate to what is going on in your life at the time.

They also hold regular meet-ups and events for veterans.

They can be contacted by phone or text between 9am - 5pm - 07435 567525 or by email info@opkernow.co.uk

NAVY SHIP

OP RESTORE

Op RESTORE, The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service is for anyone who has served at least 1 day in HM Armed Forces and who have continuing physical health injuries or related medical problems attributed to their time in the Armed Forces. It is for both former regulars and reservists. 
 
Op RESTORE uses a network of civilian and military consultants, along with welfare support from military charities, to support a veteran’s health using a holistic approach. Once the referral is received from the GP practice, the veteran will receive a text from the service to book a call with a member of the Op RESTORE team. who is a member of the Armed Forces community. During the call they will check exactly what the veteran wants to achieve from the referral and identify any wellbeing needs. Any identified needs will either be supported by the navigator, or by support workers at Defence Medical Welfare Services.
 
All these issues will be discussed in a consultant-led multidisciplinary team meeting that will confirm the best clinical pathway and initiate that. The veteran will be kept informed throughout with a text message with a copy of the outcome letter and the offer of a follow up phone call. The GP practice will also receive the outcome letter, so they are kept in the loop. The veteran will be supported throughout the rest of their clinical care by the team.

Whilst Op RESTORE cannot shorten NHS waiting times, it seeks to ensure the veteran has all their needs, both health related and other, dealt with as effectively as possible. 
 
For further information please visit the website.

Veterans Patient Charter

Please access and read our Veteran patient charter

Page last reviewed: 27 June 2025
Page created: 23 March 2021