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08 May 25. VE Day boost for veterans’ healthcare.
Government announces £1.8m investment to transform NHS care for veterans, serving personnel and their families.
- New training for NHS workers to improve healthcare support for veterans.
- Programme will improve access and outcomes for veterans, serving personnel and their families.
- Regional trainers will work with GP practices and mental health services to embed expertise where it is needed most
Armed forces veterans and their families will benefit from improved and targeted healthcare, the government has announced as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day. A new training programme will ensure NHS staff across the country are supported to meet the unique health needs of veterans, serving personnel and their families. The new programme will see NHS staff across England receiving dedicated training to help them identify and support patients with military backgrounds. GPs, doctors and NHS nurses will work with regional trainers to make sure they embed this support into their services. Veterans can require specialised care for injuries sustained in combat, as well as mental health support for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Many also struggle to navigate civilian healthcare systems and may not self-identify as veterans to NHS staff, putting them at risk of missing out on the additional services and bespoke services that are already available.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we’re honouring our Armed Forces not just with words, but with action. Too many veterans face a system that doesn’t fully understand their needs – that changes today. This new training programme will help NHS staff across England give our veterans the personalised care they deserve. Through our Plan for Change the NHS will deliver for those who have delivered for Britain.”
As of April 2025, every NHS Trust in the country became officially ‘Veteran Aware’, a status which means they have been recognised for demonstrating their understanding of military healthcare needs. The three-year training programme will build on this success and will be rolled out from October 2025 across England. The programme, backed by £1.8m, will support NHS bodies to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, which ensures those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged because of their military service. The training will support healthcare providers to improve identification of Armed Forces personnel, deliver more personalised care, and ultimately improve health outcomes for veterans and their families. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
04 May 25. Prime Minister’s open letter to veterans ahead of VE Day.
An open letter from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to veterans ahead of VE Day celebrations.
In an open letter to veterans, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
To our veterans,
As we approach the VE Day anniversary, I want to salute your ongoing dedication to keeping our country safe.
This week, we celebrate the greatest victory our armed forces ever secured. And like so many families across the country, my relatives served and fought in the Second World War. Therefore, it is the highest honour of my role to meet veterans of that conflict. I think of people like Stanley Fisher and Mervyn Kersch, two Jewish veterans of the Normandy landings, who went on to become eyewitnesses to the horrors of the Bergen Belsen concentration camp in the early days of its liberation by British forces. Their stories – and countless others we will hear this week – are a reminder that our victory was not just for Britain. It was also a victory for good against the assembled forces of hatred, tyranny and evil. VE Day is a chance to acknowledge, again, that our debt to those who achieved it can never fully be repaid.
Yet as the nation falls silent on Thursday, I know that my mind will also turn to those who carry the torch of their legacy in our armed forces today – people like you. As time marches on, we all have a responsibility to renew the bonds of our history so that future generations inherit our national story as their own. But alongside our history and our values, service is the other great force that binds a nation together. So this week, I want you to know: the whole nation is inspired by the selfless dedication of your example. It is not just that you keep us all safe. It is also that you represent the best of who we are. A living link of service that unites the values we must stand for in the present, with the stories we must pass down from our past.
Furthermore, I know that this is not without sacrifice. I will always remember the conversation I had with a sub-mariner in Faslane, who brought home exactly what over 200 days a year underwater means for the simple things most families take for granted. Missing birthdays, weddings, anniversaries. Not being there in the photographs. From the Carrier Strike Group at sea, to our postings in Estonia, Cyprus and here in the UK, every service man and woman I have met has had a version of this story. And I recognise that this too is a debt that can never fully be repaid. But this week, the country will show you just how thankful we all are. Because we know, that without your service, the freedom, peace and joy that these celebrations embody, would not be possible.
So, wherever you are, wherever you serve, have a wonderful VE Day. And on behalf of a proud and grateful nation: thank you for your service. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
04 May 25. Thousands of veterans to benefit from new UK-wide support network. Veterans across the UK will have easier access to essential care and support under a new VALOUR system being announced today, as part of the Government’s commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who have served through the Plan for Change.
- As nation prepares to celebrate VE Day, the Government announces new UK-wide veteran support system, called VALOUR.
- New VALOUR network will deliver easier access to care and support with new regional networks connecting housing, employment and health services in every corner of the UK.
- Backed by £50m of funding, VALOUR will foster the enterprising spirit of veteran charities, better connect local and national services and ensure veterans’ support is truly data driven.
Veterans across the UK will have easier access to essential care and support under a new VALOUR system being announced today, as part of the Government’s commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who have served through the Plan for Change.
£50m of funding will establish a new network of VALOUR-recognised support centres across the UK and and deploy Regional Field Officers to connect local, regional and national services – while harnessing the power of data to shape better services.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP and Veterans Minister Al Carns are announcing the new service during VE week, marking a major milestone in meeting this government’s manifesto promise to fully implement the Armed Forces Covenant.
The new Regional Field Officers will bring together charities, service providers and local government to provide more evidence and feedback driven support for veterans, across housing, employment, health and welfare.
The first VALOUR support centres will be operational next year, tailored to the specific needs on the ground and focused on the demands for each location. This could include advice on how to book GP appointments, access welfare or support with housing issues.
The Ministry of Defence is announcing today it will invite veterans to help design VALOUR through research, focus groups and feedback. While VALOUR will initially focus on veterans, the service is designed to be scaled up to support the wider Armed Forces community in the future.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: “The nation owes a duty to those who’ve served to defend our country, and it is only right that the Government steps up our support to them. The Armed Forces set most people up for success in life but when veterans need help then support is too often a postcode patchwork. Our plan to develop a UK-wide veterans support service will work with enterprising health, employment and housing charities and it is backed by the one of the largest ever Government funding commitments to veterans. This Government is delivering on our Plan for Change and renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve.”
VALOUR will harness the power of data to shape better service provision and ensure the right type of support is available for veterans at a local level.
As the delivery arm, field officers will work with local services including local government bodies, to share best practice and guidance. This will include applying the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, the nation’s promise to support the armed forces community and their families, which will soon gain legal footing as part of the manifesto commitment.
Veterans Minister, Al Carns, said: “As a veteran who served for 24 years, I recognise the unique challenges they’ve faced and the skills they possess. This new investment will ensure that every veteran, regardless of where they live, can access joined up support services in the way they need it. We are creating the UK’s first ever data-driven framework for veterans’ services, ensuring our resources are channelled to where they’re most needed and can make the greatest difference to those who have courageously served their country.”
Director General of the British Royal Legion, Mark Atkinson, said: “The Royal British Legion welcomes today’s announcement to improve and better coordinate government support for veterans under VALOUR. Whilst there are a range of government services already in place for veterans, these services can vary depending on where you live and your access to information about the services available. Improved coordination across health, housing, employment, and mental wellbeing services is crucial to helping veterans lead successful lives. We look forward to working closely with government and partner organisations to help turn these commitments into meaningful change. Over the past year, the Government has delivered for veterans, including by removing the local connection requirement for veterans seeking social housing and awarding £3.5m of new funding for homelessness services. The recent launch of Op ASCEND has been critical in ensuring veterans can get onto the career ladder and access meaningful jobs.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
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SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been providing lifelong support to our Forces and their families since 1885. In 2020, our teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 79,000 people in need, the currently serving (both regulars and reserves), veterans from the Second World War and those who have served in more recent conflicts, as well as their families. SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person – any time they need us, in any way they need us, for as long as they need us.
https://www.ssafa.org.uk/about-us
https://www.ssafa.org.uk/support-us
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