The Military Covenant

 

The Military Covenant or Armed Forces Covenant is a term introduced in 2000 into British public life to refer to the mutual obligations between the nation and its Armed Forces. It was coined in Soldiering – The Military Covenant (booklet), UK: Ministry of Defence, April 2000, and has now entered political discourse as a way of measuring whether the government and society at large have kept to their obligations to support members of the armed forces.

The Covenant is a term used mainly by the British military and the media in relation to the question of adequate safeguards, rewards and compensation for military personnel who risk their lives in obedience to military orders derived from the policy of the elected civilian government. The Ministry of Defence states "In putting the needs of the Nation before their own, they forgo some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces. So, at the very least, British soldiers should always expect the Nation and their commanders to treat them fairly, to value and respect them as individuals, and to sustain and reward them and their families."

 

Although the term "covenant" implies some form of legal guarantee or contract, there is in fact no basis in UK law, custom or history for such covenant. That said, there have been changes in relation to Veterans Health. Click here for further details

 

Things you should know

 

Advise your GP of your veteran’s status. Your GP can then request your service medical records. The GP should annotate your health records with the code “Military Veteran(13Ji)” indicating that you served in the British Armed Forces. 

 

Further details are available at:

 

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/military-healthcare/priority-nhs-treatment-for-veterans/

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Please note the following amendment to the  NHS in England: The operating framework for 2008/9 dated 12 December 2007:

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From 1 January 2008, all veterans should receive priority access to NHS secondary care for any conditions which are likely to be related to their service, subject to the clinical needs of all patients.

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Royal British Legion

 

The Royal British Legion’s Veterans Medical Funds programme is open for applications. The programme is funded through a five year, £13m commitment from HM Treasury using income generated from the Libor rate-fixing fines. It has two elements: support for veterans with hearing loss and support for veterans with serious physical injury resulting from their military service.

 

Further details are available at:

 

https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-support/finance/grants/veterans-medical-funds/

 

 

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Combat Stress

 

For a century we’ve been helping former servicemen and women deal with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Today we provide specialist treatment and support for veterans from every service and conflict to give them hope and a future.

 

Further details are available at:

 

https://www.combatstress.org.uk/

 

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NHS Support and Treatment

 

If you think you, or your partner or spouse, may be experiencing mental health difficulties, you can get expert help from the NHS Veterans' Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) or the NHS Veterans' Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS).

 

Further details available at:

 

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/military-healthcare/nhs-mental-health-services-for-veterans/

 

 

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Veterans Orthopaedic Service

 

Further details available 

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​https://www.rjah.nhs.uk/veterans/

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King Edward vii Centre for Veterans Health

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Further details available at:

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https://www.kingedwardvii.co.uk/the-charity/centre-for-veterans-health

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If you are aware of any other services that would be of interest to other veterans please let me know and I will add the details.

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