This distinction means that patients who have served in the British Armed Forces are cared for by frontline staff who have received training and education on their specific needs, such as around mental health, and who can signpost them to local support services.
The Trust initially gained the accreditation in November 2018, when DBTH joined just 24 NHS bodies across the UK as Veteran Aware.
The accreditation is overseen by the Veterans Covenant Hospital Alliance – a group made up of national bodies, including NHS Improvement, NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Defence, and the Confederation of Service Charities.
Patients and visitors at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Bassetlaw Hospital and Montagu Hospital can expect to see posters that services are ‘Veteran Aware’, such as in clinics and public waiting areas, encouraging them to notify staff that they have served in the armed forces. This is to ensure that the armed forces community is never disadvantaged compared to other patients.
Suzy Brain England OBE, Trust Chair, said: “I am extremely pleased that we have been able to maintain this accreditation. This achievement is a positive reflection of the hard work and dedication of those involved to ensure we are an equitable and accessible care provider.
“Veterans, throughout their lifetime, make huge sacrifices in service of their country and I believe this is just one way in which we, as an organisation, can share our collective thanks and ensure their visit or stay within our hospitals is as comfortable as possible.”
In a formal letter to the Trust, General Lord Dannatt and Professor Tim Briggs, said: “It is our pleasure to congratulate and re-affirm Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on your successful reaccreditation as a Veteran Aware Trust.
“This reaccreditation recognises your work in demonstrating the NHS’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant in identifying and sharing best practice across the NHS as an exemplar of the best standards of care for the Armed Forces community.
“Thank you for your work to date, and for your continuing support to drive these improvements across the NHS.”
There are around 2.16 million veterans in England, making up between three and nine percent of the population.
As the nation gathered to pay its respects to the Fallen of the two World Wars, and conflicts throughout the decades since, UK forces in Afghanistan held poignant services as the UK combat mission drew to an end in 2014.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the First World War Armistice was signed. Every year since we have remembered those who have given their lives for peace and freedom. Today at eleven oclock International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) personnel and civilians gathered for Remembrance service Kandahar.