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Our Armed Forces Community

At UHP, we proudly support those who serve and formerly served, as well their families, working in partnership with Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS)

The Trust has been recognised for its work supporting the region’s armed forces, having been awarded a Gold Employer Recognition Scheme Award. The award represents the highest badge of honour for organisations that employ and support serve and formerly served, as well their families.

Additionally, we have been recognised for providing focused support and care to the local armed forces community and have been awarded with a Veteran Aware accreditation. This accreditation means that UHP have committed to ensure that members of the armed forces community will not be disadvantaged in the care they receive and where possible, receive personalised care to improve patient outcomes in line with the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant.

UHP Armed Forces Community aims:

People

Recognition of patients and staff who are members of the Armed Forces Community. Providing support, information, sharing, networking and a forum to talk and connect with like-minded people.

Partnerships

Working in partnership across Plymouth and the wider community to support the Armed Forces Community and forge relationships to improve services.

Working with DMWS and other organisations to ensure service-related health and wellbeingt needs for this community received the appropriate resources.

Recruitment

Working with the Careers Transition Partnership and other service-related careers and employment organisatrions to support service leavers and Armed Forces Community family members explore and find a role at UHP.

As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, we are a supporting employer to all members of the community.

Support

Provide support to patients and staff from the Armed Forces Community; enabling conversation and signposting to both internal and external resources where necessary.

As a Veteran Aware accredited Trust, we ensure that the Armed Forces Community do not face any disadvantage accessing healthcare services in line with the Armed Forces Convenant.

Who are the armed forces community?

Regular Personnel – Individuals currently serving in the Armed Forces.

Reservists – Volunteer Reservist and Regular Reservist Formerly Served (Veterans) – Those who have served for at least one day in HM Armed Forces, whether as a Regular or as a Reservist.

Families of Regular, Reservists and Veterans – The immediate family. This is defined as spouses, civil partners, and children for whom they are responsible. Can be extended to, as appropriate, parents, unmarried partners, and other family members.

Bereaved – The immediate family of Service Personnel and Veterans who have died, whether or not that death has any connection with Service.

Cadet Forces – Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.

Armed Forces Covenant

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy, and society they serve with their lives.

Its two principles are that, recognising the unique obligations of, and sacrifices made by, the Armed Forces:

• Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.
• Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.