If you use any of our hospital services, please let a member of staff know if you are a
- Veteran
- Serving person
- Family member of someone serving in the Armed Forces
- Reservist.
- Letting a member of staff know if you or your spouse/partner currently serve, or have served, in the UK Armed Forces helps us give you the best support for your care needs.
PICS supports the armed forces communities and individuals who are active in or retired from service.
We are committed to the principle that armed forces community should not be disadvantaged because of their service. We recognise that this is sometimes the case and that each one of us can help achieve equity for members of the community.
PICS is investing resources so that everyone in our organisation can develop their understanding of the culture of the Armed Forces and circumstances that community members live and work in, including those who are injured or bereaved.
Latest News
Armed Forces Day took place on June 29th 2024. Having signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2022, PICS continue to support Armed Force Personnel, both those who are patients and those who are employees.
Achievements in 2023:
- supported our partners in the health and social care system to get involved in the scheme
- achieved Silver in the Employers Recognition Scheme
- expanded best practice across our internal network through events and training.
Achievements in 2022:
- became the first primary care organisation in England to complete the NHS Veteran Aware Accreditation scheme
- staff across PICS helped meet the requirements of the Armed Forces Covenant
- we achieved Veteran-Friendly GP Practices accreditation
- became a Bronze member of the Employers Recognition Scheme
What is a veteran
A veteran is anyone who has served for at least one day in the Armed Forces, whether as a regular or reservist. It means the same as ‘ex service personnel’ or ‘ex-forces’, although not all veterans know the term or choose to associate with the term ‘veteran’. Younger veterans might refer to themselves as ‘ex-forces’, in the belief that a veteran is someone who fought in the First / Second World War. (RCGP, 2021).
Whilst many aspects of the health needs of veterans are the same as for the general public, there are sometimes significant differences, particularly in relation to conditions attributable to service life and the associated impact for individuals and their families. These differences can be reflected in the way in which healthcare is delivered, the range and types of some specific services provided and the long-term impact upon patients and families.
The importance of GP Practices being veteran accredited is explained in the National Health Executive by Brigadier Robin Simpson (FRCGP) and can be found here
Useful websites and information
Healthcare for the armed forces community – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
Mental health support for veterans, service leavers and reservists – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Op COURAGE is the new name for the veterans mental health services and incorporates the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS), Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS).
Op COURAGE provides specialist care and support for Service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families who can self- refer or ask a GP, charity or someone else to refer them
Veterans Trauma Network (VTN)
The VTN is the first NHS veterans’ physical health care pathway, providing care and treatment to those with a service-attributable healthcare problem. Located in thirteen major trauma centres (Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, Liverpool, London (three centres), Middlesbrough, Nottingham, Oxford and Plymouth) across England, the VTN works closely with Defence Medical Services, national centres of clinical expertise and Op COURAGE, as well as military charities to provide a complete package of care. It is run largely by healthcare professionals who are either veterans or serving members of the Armed Forces. GPs can use a single national email to refer veterans to the service
Advice on prosthetics for those who have lost limbs whilst serving in the military
Prosthetics Veterans, service leavers, and non-mobilised reservists – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
The Veterans’ Prosthetics Panel (VPP) was established in 2012 as a way of ensuring that veterans can access high quality prosthetics regardless of which Disablement Service Centre (DSC) they attend. This additional funding is available only to veterans who have lost a limb whilst in military service. A veteran who has left the Armed Forces, but whose limb loss is attributable to an injury sustained whilst in service, also qualifies.
Personalised care programme for ex-forces with a long term physical, mental or neurological health condition or disability
NHS England » Personalised care for veterans
This guidance sets out a personalised care approach for those veterans who have a long term physical, mental or neurological health condition or disability. Eligible individuals will have a single personalised care plan for all their health and wellbeing needs that is developed with them and a range of organisations, including health and social care and military charities.
Hearing loss and tinnitus Hearing aids and implants – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Mobility support through the Royal British Legion Support for veterans | Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion has a Veterans’ Mobility Fund, which provides specialist wheelchairs, orthotic equipment and other mobility related items for veterans who have a service related serious physical injury and whose needs cannot be met through statutory services. Eligibility for the fund requires the condition to be attributable to service and typically applicants will be in receipt of a War Pension or relevant award under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
Veterans’ Gateway Advice and support for veterans & ex-forces | Veterans’ Gateway (veteransgateway.org.uk)
The Veterans’ Gateway is made up of a consortium of organisations and Armed Forces charities, including The Royal British Legion, SSAFA, Combat Stress and Connect Assist. It is a main point of contact for veterans seeking support, putting them and their families in touch with the organisations best placed to help with the information, advice and support they need from healthcare and housing to employability, finances, personal relationships and more.
Contact The Contact Group | Collaborating for Military Mental Health (contactarmedforces.co.uk)
Contact is a group of charitable, support and state organisations that have joined forces to enhance mental health support available to the Armed Forces community. The partnership consists of Big White Wall, Cobseo, Combat Stress, Help for Heroes, The Royal British Legion, Walking With The Wounded, the NHS, the MOD, the UK Psychological Trauma Society and King’s College London. Contact aims to improve collaborative care management, increase instances of help-seeking behaviour, improve service provision, encourage best practice across the sector and improve public knowledge of what support is available and how best to access it.
Cobseo Cobseo – The Confederation of Service Charities
Cobseo, as the Confederation of Service Charities, offers membership to charities who promote and further the welfare and general interests of the Armed Forces community, subject to fulfilling the membership criteria. Comprising 255 members, Cobseo provides a single point of contact for interaction with the Armed Forces community.
Help for Heroes Support for wounded veterans and families | Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes provides direct, practical support for wounded, injured and sick service personnel, veterans and their loved ones from any conflict. They have four recovery centres in the UK offering medical care, guidance, support and advice. Patients can self-refer or be referred by a professional. Once referred, an initial assessment will take place within one to two weeks and there is no waiting list for treatment.
Combat Stress Mental health services for veterans | Combat Stress
Combat Stress is the UK’s leading mental health charity for veterans. It provides free specialised clinical treatment and support to ex-servicemen and women across the UK with mental health conditions. Combat Stress has a strategic partnership with the MOD and the Department of Health and Social Care. This enables the charity to work with NHS mental health to develop services suitable for military veterans.
Blesma Military Charity for Limbless Veterans | Blesma
Blesma supports limbless veterans to lead independent and fulfilling lives. Blesma is dedicated to assisting serving and ex-service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight. They support these men and women in their communities throughout the UK and provide centralised assistance to those living overseas.
Army Widows Association Useful Links | Army Widows’ Association
The Association was founded in 2004 by a group of Army widows who felt that there was a need for an organisation that represented and understood the needs of today’s Army Widows. We welcome Widows/ Widowers and recognised partners of Army personnel, regardless of cause of death. We help members with information about pensions, savings and tax issues, through signposting. When required, we direct widows to support agencies such as SSAFA, RBL and Regimental Associations, and we have a thriving private Facebook page where information and support is available. There are usually members who can answer questions because they have faced similar issues in the past and are willing to pass on helpful information and experience.
SSAFA SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity
SSAFA helps the armed forces community in a number of ways, though our focus is on providing direct support to individuals in need of physical or emotional care. Addiction, relationship breakdown, debt, homelessness, post-traumatic stress, depression and disability are all issues that can affect our members of our Armed Forces community. Many of these problems only become apparent when an individual has to leave their life in the Forces and join ‘Civvy Street’. SSAFA is committed to helping our brave men and women overcome these problems and rebuild their lives.
Local information and support
Forest Forces – Nottingham Forest Community Trust | Nottingham Forest Community Trust
Nottingham Forest Community Trust and Nottingham Forest Football Club are committed to supporting the Armed Forces community. They provide the ‘Forest Forces’ programme, which tackles social isolation in veterans by providing a variety of regular activities and events that brings people together from different backgrounds and armed forces communities. From coffee mornings, comedy nights and day trips, they work with our veterans to come up with different initiatives that everyone will enjoy.
Search for a local Armed Forces breakfast club Find A Club – Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Clubs (afvbc.net)
Supporting Veterans of the Armed Forces – Nottingham City Council
The Notts Veterans’ Service (nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk) – Services from Notts Healthcare
Bassetlaw Health (bassetlaw-health.co.uk) Veterans and armed forces support and social groups in Bassetlaw
Support for the Armed Forces Community | Support for armed forces personne… (bassetlaw.gov.uk)
Veterans at Home | Age UK Nottingham & Nottinghamshire
Homepage – Nottinghamshire – (britishlegion.org.uk)
In addition to the above PICS employ Social Prescribing Link Workers who are involved with and work with veterans. Some of them are specifically involved with veterans walks. For more information contact Social Prescribing Link Worker for your practice/area.