NHS Veteran Aware training starts 10 Nov, £1.8m
If you or someone you love has served, the NHS is changing how it asks and how it responds when you say so. From Monday 10 November 2025, staff across England begin new training to recognise Armed Forces backgrounds and tailor care accordingly, funded by £1.8 million over three years and announced today, 9 November, Remembrance Sunday.
Every NHS trust in England is now recognised as Veteran Aware. That label, run by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), means Armed Forces–friendly practice is embedded across services, not just promised on paper.
What ‘Veteran Aware’ means: trusts are expected to identify patients with Armed Forces backgrounds, train staff, signpost to specialist help, and keep named champions in place. Accreditation is supported by regional leads and reviewed after 12 months, then every three years, so it doesn’t become a one‑off badge.
Who counts as a veteran? For NHS services, anyone who has served in the UK armed forces for at least one day qualifies, with the wider Armed Forces community also including serving personnel, reservists and families.
Why say “I’ve served” at all? Many veterans and families don’t mention service history in appointments and can miss dedicated support. Research shows GP coding of veteran status stays low unless practices ask and record it-once they do, identification improves sharply.
How to self‑identify with your GP: at your next contact, tell reception or your clinician you have served and ask them to add “military veteran” to your electronic record. If you want the exact term, the SNOMED CT code is 753651000000107. Family members and reservists can also be recorded using standard codes so staff see this quickly.
Helpful but not essential: if you still have your discharge summary (often FMed133A) or medical summary, offer a copy. It can make it easier to link Defence Medical Services notes to your GP record.
What changes in your care once you’re coded: the Armed Forces Covenant says you should not be disadvantaged in accessing healthcare; for conditions linked to service, the NHS can prioritise treatment based on clinical need. Being recorded also helps teams signpost you to dedicated NHS and charity pathways.
Where to go for mental health support: Op COURAGE is the NHS specialist service for veterans and those approaching discharge. You can contact it yourself, ask a family member or charity, or ask your GP. You’ll need to live in England, have served at least a day, and be registered with a GP or willing to register.
Where to go for physical health problems linked to service: Op RESTORE coordinates specialist assessment and treatment. It’s for anyone who served at least one day and has ongoing physical issues attributed to service; referrals come via your GP.
For families and carers: your status can be recorded too, which helps staff understand your needs and signpost support. Under Covenant principles, families who move because of postings should keep their place on waiting lists, and services aim to provide joined‑up, Armed Forces–friendly care.
For NHS staff and students reading this: build one simple question into routine history‑taking-“Have you or a family member ever served in the UK Armed Forces?” Record the answer with SNOMED codes and link patients to local champions and pathways. VCHA regional leads support accreditation and regular reviews.
Dates to know and the bigger picture: training begins across England on Monday 10 November 2025. Earlier this year ministers trailed a £50 million VALOUR network to improve access to tailored support, and today’s programme is another step in the same direction. The aim is that experiences like Ian’s-struggling to get the right help-become rarer.