Armed Forces Hub
North Lincolnshire Council has a dedicated Armed Forces Hub to support all of our Armed Forces Community, the hub is at 186 High Street in Scunthorpe.
The hub aims to support all members of the armed forces community with wrap around care, whether that be in relation to health, housing, employment/education or access to social activities and volunteering opportunities.
They have a vibrant community with lots of activities taking place each week. For more information, please visit Livewell North Lincolnshire or alternatively contact the Armed Forces Hub via email at armed.forces@northlincs.gov.uk or telephone on 01724 298252.
20th Anniversary Of Iraq Conflict
Oswald Road Medical Centre has a significant number of military veterans registered with us.
We are conscious that some military veterans might be affected by the 20th anniversary of the Iraq conflict. If you have been affected by this, help is available as the surgery is proud to be accredited as a veteran friendly practice by the Royal College of GPs.
Help is also available via Op Courage, the veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service bit.ly/3n9u3td
We are an Armed Forces veteran friendly accredited GP practice.
This means that, as part of the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, we have a dedicated Clinician who has a specialist knowledge of military related health conditions and veteran specific health services. This is important in helping ex-forces to get the best care and treatment.
If you are ex-forces, please let your GP know to help ensure you are getting the best possible care.
Certificate of accreditation (PDF, 177KB)
Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 543KB)
Briefing December 2021: Armed Forces healthcare briefing and latest updates on COVID-19 (EXTERNAL PDF LINK)
Top tips for veterans
How to get the most from your GP
- It is important to register with a GP, rather than wait until you need treatment. Visit the NHS website at www.nhs.uk to find details of GP practices in your local area.
- If you’ve recently left the forces, it is important to give your GP the paperwork that your military medical centre gave you, including any medical records. This will help to make sure your military health record transfers to your NHS health record. This will also give your GP information on your health and ensure that any ongoing care and treatment is continued.
- Regardless of when you left the military, tell your GP that you’ve served in the UK Armed Forces. This will help your GP to better understand any military related health conditions that you may have and ensure that you are referred, where appropriate, to dedicated services for veterans.
This includes the specialist mental and physical health services, Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service and the Veterans Trauma Network.
When using these services, you will be able to speak to people who:
- understand the Armed Forces and military life
- are either from the Armed Forces community or highly experienced in working with serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families
- will work with you to make sure you get the right type of specialist care, support, and treatment
- work closely with a range of organisations and charities, including military charities, to support your wider health and wellbeing needs.
- With your agreement, it can sometimes be helpful for your doctor to refer you to Armed Forces charities, such as SSAFA, the Royal British Legion, Combat Stress or Help for Heroes. They can often offer significant help and support, even if they do not all deliver healthcare.
- You may be worried about sharing information about your time in the Armed Forces. Please note that the NHS is bound by a confidentiality code of practice to ensure GPs, nurses and other people working within the NHS deliver a confidential service bound by law.
For more information, speak to your GP or visit the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/armedforceshealth
Twitter @NHSArmedForces
Dedicated health services for the Armed Forces community
Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, is the new overarching name for the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS), Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS). The new name has been developed following feedback from veterans and their families to make it easier for those leaving the military and veterans to find help.
Op COURAGE is for Service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families, who can contact the service direct, or ask a GP, charity or someone else, such as a family member or friend, to refer them.
For further information, including contact details for the service in your region, visit www.nhs.uk/opcourage
Veterans Trauma Network (VTN)
The VTN is for veterans who have physical health problems which have been caused from their time in the Armed Forces.
Located in a number of major trauma centres across England, the VTN works closely with DMS, Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, as well as military charities, to provide specialist care and treatment.
Access is via GP referral only. To refer a veteran, email england.veteranstraumanetwork@nhs.net
Personalised care for veterans
Veterans who have a complex and life-long health condition may be eligible for the veterans personalised care programme, which seeks to give individuals more choice and control over how their care is planned and delivered. Veterans will have a personalised care plan based on what matters to them and which they help to develop. They may also be eligible for a personal budget to pay for some of the care and support they need.
Access to this programme of care, means that veterans should also get more support in the community and access to a range of help, such as emotional and practical support from people who have similar health conditions or disabilities. This is in addition to being supported to access dedicated services, such as Op COURAGE and the VTN.
Applications should be made to the person’s local integrated care system.
For more information, visit www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/upc/ipcfor-veterans/personalised-care-for-veterans
Patient charter: our commitment to you as a veteran of the UK Armed Forces
The NHS is here to help improve your health and wellbeing and keep you mentally and physically well. It is also here to help you get better when you are ill and, when you cannot fully recover, to stay as well as you can until the end of your life.
This means that you can expect the following from our practice:
- We will ask all patients if they have served in the UK Armed Forces (as a regular or reservist). If you have, we will note this in your medical record, with your permission.
- We will ask you to share details of your time in service to help us to assess the best support and treatment for you.
- The information you share will be kept confidential and we will always speak to you before sharing this with other services you may be referred to.
- You can make an appointment to see our clinical lead for veteran’s health. This person has a comprehensive understanding of the Armed Forces, health conditions linked to service, and the dedicated support you can access.
- The NHS has a duty to support the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant. This means that you will get priority treatment for any medical condition which has been caused by your service, subject to the clinical needs of other patients.
- We will let you know what choices are available for your care and treatment and help you to make informed decisions on what to do.
- Where appropriate and with your consent, we can refer you to dedicated veterans health services.
- If you need to be seen by another service, we will let them know you’re a veteran and make sure they have an understanding of your health and wellbeing needs, so you don’t have to keep repeating your ‘personal story’.
- We can give advice and support to your loved ones who may be affected by your health conditions.
- We will investigate any issues and complaints that you may have about your care. If you have any concerns about the services we offer, please speak to one of the practice team.
To find out more, please speak to our practice manager or one of our GPs or nurses.
If you would like to provide feedback on how we are performing as a veteran friendly GP practice, please let a member of our staff know or you can send your comments to the Royal College of General Practitioners at Veterans@rcgp.org.uk
For information on health services for the Armed Forces community, please visit the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/armedforceshealth Twitter @NHSArmedForces
Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club
A network of Veterans Breakfast Clubs where you can enjoy the banter and camaraderie and enjoy a great breakfast with friends old and new.
North Lincs (Scunthorpe)
Queensway Hungry Horse
Ashby Road
Scunthorpe
Every other Saturday 09:30
Gainsborough
Trent Port
Ramper Road
Gainsborough
Fortnightly Sunday 09:30
Grimsby
Duke of Wellington
Pasture Street
Grimsby
Every Sunday 10:00.
www.afvbc.co.uk
The Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt specialist Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry.
For veterans:- If you have knee or hip problems, that you can or cannot prove is attributable to your army or military service then this is for you.
There is a specific veterans clinic run by a Lt Col Meyer at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital at Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7AG, every Wednesday. Firstly you will need to prove to your own GP that you are a veteran, get them to take photo copies of your discharge book and annotate your docs with the military codes that apply to you. See below for these codes.
I applied for a referral on 16 March, this year, and on 3rd May, had a hip replacement, a total of just over 6 weeks. Lt Col Meyer specialises in hips and knees. If you don't mind a few days away from family, I can assure you it's more like an hotel than a hospital, and the foods really good. Having a long wait ahead of you at your local GP and hospital, this might be the way to go to achieve a much quicker result.
What is it?
A service for military veterans to have their hip or knee arthritis assessed and, if appropriate, have joint replacement surgery and is led by Lt Col Carl Meyer, Military Consultant Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Surgeon at Oswestry’s specialist orthopaedic hospital. Lt Col Meyer is a Army regular officer who has been on three tours to Afghanistan and one to Iraq. He is an Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon with 16 Medical Regiment, 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital.
Who is it for?
Anyone who has been in regular military service, including national service.
Where is it?
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH), Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7AG, is a centre of orthopaedic excellence specialising in lower limb replacement surgery.
When is it?
Outpatient clinics are held fortnightly at RJAH. (Normally on a Wednesday)
How do I obtain an NHS referral?
Through your GP - Ask to be referred to the VETERANS’ HIP & KNEE SURGERY SERVICE at Oswestry - And ask your GP to make a named referral to Lt Col Meyer. Inform them X-rays are not required as RJ&AH will do their own on the day of the appointment.
Contact information email
rebecca.ann.jones@rjah.nhs.uk Fax: 01691 404067 Tel: 01691 404344
Your records at your GP should and needs to be annotated with the NHS issued codes for military/veterans, take photocopies of your red discharge book, because he will ask for proof that you're a veteran.
Military medical codes
13J1. Military veteran
13JY. History relating to Military Service
13qo. History relating to Army Service
13q1. History relating to RN Service
13q2. History relating to RAF Service
13q3. Served in the Armed Forces
Any questions?
Please feel free to contact me at any time, name and telephone numbers at the bottom. Lt Col Meyer wants to "do" more operations for veterans, but he has two problems, 1; finding the patients, he knows that we are out here, it's letting us know he's there for us, and 2; getting the money from the NHS, but, the more ops he does the more money they will give him, therefore the more ops he can do. So, come on, I've had 5 enquiries so far, there must be more than us 5. If you are members of other military Facebook sites pleas, please, please copy and paste to these pages and let as many veterans know about this brilliant service that's just for us. It's about time us vets got something back for our years of loyal service.
Once you have those codes then you need to tell your doctor that you want referring to Lt Col Meyer. You tell him, don't ask! I applied for the codes and got an appointment to see him within 3 weeks, pre-op 10 days later and hip replacement all with-in 6 weeks. Lt Col Meyer said he wants more referrals to show the NHS that his specialist Veterans clinic is wanted and wants more money to do more work for veterans.
Please please pass this information on to all your veteran friends and let's see if we can get the word out to as many vets as possible. Thank you.
Ian Wilkins
01724 278328
07967 665003
wilkins7006@gmail.com