Being accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners means that a GP practice can better identify and support service leavers.

The accreditation lets us refer those who need it to dedicated and specialist NHS services, more suited for the complex needs of veterans and is crucial to respecting the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, which says "the Armed Forces community, including veterans, should face no disadvantage in accessing health services and should receive priority care for military attributable conditions, subject to clinical need".  

It also means we are better able to capture the important data needed to help improve future health provisions for veterans and can work towards reducing inequalities in healthcare for those leaving service.

A veteran is someone who has served in the Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) for at least one day. Veterans also include any member of the Merchant Marine who has served in a war zone. This includes crew from convoys in World War 2 and more recently in the Falklands conflict and Gulf Wars. 

About 18000 service people move back into civilian life every year and whilst many service leavers have similar levels of health to the general population, around 2000 leave on medical grounds. The top reasons for medical discharge are for issues relating to back, knees, mental health and hearing.

Mental health problems are common and can affect anyone, including veterans, serving personnel, reservists and their families. It's important to get help and support if you or someone you know is struggling.

How to find mental health information and support for veterans, service leavers, reservists, families and carers.

20th Anniversary of the Iraq Conflict

We know we have a significant number of military veterans in Plymouth and we are conscious that some veterans might be affected by the 20th anniversary of the Iraq conflict. If you have been affected by this, please remember that help is available, that might be through your loved ones, through the surgery, via Op Courage or from another service.