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D-Day: 80 Years On
As we remember those who lost their lives during the D-Day campaign in 1944, we also remember those who survived and have lived with the haunting memories of that day since. Their courage has enabled us to enjoy the lives we lead today and to remind us to think better about how we care for our veterans.
We are not always aware of the of the number of veterans who carry battle scares, some of which are not always visible at the time but appear in later life. That is why the government has launched a campaign to help improve veterans’ access to healthcare services.
Gillingham Medical Practice is accredited as an Armed Forces Veteran Friendly GP Practice. That means that veterans can benefit from specialist care from clinicians who understand the armed forces community. Staff have been trained so that they can refer veterans to the correct veteran mental and physical health care such as OpRESTORE and OpCOURAGE.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer said, “It is really important to tell your GP that you served so you can access all the veteran specific support services you are entitled to.”
Kate Davies, National Director for Armed Forces Health, NHS England, said, “My message to veterans is that it’s never too late to tell your GP Practice you’ve served for or when you left the Armed Forces, sharing this information may be relevant to your health and care, now or in the future, and the NHS is here for you.”
It is estimated that 11% of veterans struggle to adjust to life as a civilian
Moving from the military (a collectivists culture) to the civilian (a individualistic culture) may be experienced as a second (or reverse) culture shock.
Dr Emily Brookes, the Royal College of General Practitioners Veterans Clinical Champions, said, “The Veteran Friendly Accreditation Scheme is designed to help GPs understand what medical issues are most common in veteran patients and can help save time in diagnosing and treating them.”
Published: May 29, 2024