The Hungerford Surgery accorded 'veteran friendly' status

THE Hungerford Surgery has been accorded 'veteran friendly' status by the National College of General Practitioners.

The practice, at The Croft, has been working towards the recognition in conjunction with the Hungerford branch of The Royal British Legion.

The surgery qualified by offering extra support for ex-military personnel who may face additional challenges when they return to civilian life.

Specifically, in order to become accredited, GP practices need to:

* have a lead for veterans’ issues within the surgery

* identify and flag veterans on their computer system

* undertake dedicated training and attend armed forces healthcare meetings

* increase understanding of the health needs of veterans among both clinical and administrative staff.

Dr Mike Brookes, a North Yorkshire GP who served in Iraq, came up with the idea when a patient told him that he had specifically joined his practice to see someone who could understand his needs as a veteran.

The scheme, called the Military Veteran Aware Accreditation, has now been adopted by NHS England and the Royal College of GPs as a nationwide initiative so that family doctors can better identify and treat veterans, ensuring they get access to dedicated care where appropriate.

The Hungerford Surgery will have a dedicated clinician who has knowledge of military related health conditions and veteran specific health services.

Service charities are advising veterans to let the surgery know that they have served.