Military veterans experience of NHS services, Lancashire and Blackpool
Download (PDF 1.69 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Lancashire and Healthwatch Blackpool identified a need to explore the issues faced by military veterans in accessing NHS services. Between September and December 2017 the two local Healthwatch endeavoured to engage with military veterans, their families and staff/volunteers who support veterans in a professional capacity.
The findings show that the majority of military veterans are not registered as such with their GP, and a high percentage do not feel confident in their GPs ability to signpost them appropriately should they require military veteran specific services. An average of 13% of military veterans spoken to were accessing military veteran services, with a high percentage having never heard of or accessed the NHS service. Peer support groups such as the Veteran’s Breakfast Clubs appeared to be the most popular.
The majority of military veterans and people who support military veterans reported that there are barriers for military veterans accessing health care, mainly due to a lack of awareness and understanding around military veterans, as well as cultural issues such as pride and stigma around appearing weak. The most commonly suggested ways to overcome these barriers include more training and education for professionals as well as more promotion of military veteran services.
People spoken to also said that access to more information on these services would also help improve health care for military veterans.
When the military veteran community were asked what kind of tool they think would encourage military veterans to register their status with the GP, the most common suggestion was to have a poster in the surgery’s reception.
Despite minimal responses from GP surgeries regarding the work they already do to support their military veteran communities, there appears to be significant differences in their approaches, from full involvement with university research schemes to almost no additional support, training or guidance.
The report contains a response from the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust outlining their approach to supporting military veterans and states that the Trust signed the Military Covenant on 30 January 2018 highlighting the commitment of the Trust.
At the end of this report is a directory, included in the hope that those from the military veteran community who read the report will be able to explore a range of military veteran services in the North West.