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ARMED forces veterans and their families will benefit from improved and targeted healthcare, the Government has announced as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

A new training programme will ensure NHS staff across the country are supported to meet the unique health needs of veterans, serving personnel, and their families.

The new programme will see NHS staff across England receiving dedicated training to help them identify and support patients with military backgrounds. GPs, Doctors and NHS nurses will work with Regional trainers to make sure they embed this support into their services.

Veterans can require specialised care for injuries sustained in combat, as well as mental health support for conditions like post- raumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Many also struggle to navigate civilian healthcare systems and may not self identify as veterans to NHS staff, putting them at risk of missing out on the additional services and bespoke services that are already available.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:- "As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we're honouring our Armed Forces not just with words, but with action. Too many veterans face a system that doesn't fully understand their needs; that changes today. This new training programme will help NHS staff across England give our veterans the personalised care they deserve. Through our Plan for Change, the NHS will deliver for those who have delivered for Britain."

As of April 2025, every NHS Trust in the country became officially:- 'Veteran Aware,' a status which means they have been recognised for demonstrating their understanding of military healthcare needs. The three-year training programme will build on this success and will be rolled out from October 2025 across England.

The programme, backed by £1.8 million, will support NHS bodies to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, which ensures those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged because of their military service.

The training will support healthcare providers to improve identification of Armed Forces personnel, deliver more personalised care, and ultimately improve health outcomes for veterans and their families.

Kate Davies CBE, National Director for Armed Forces Health, NHS England said:- "On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we honour the extraordinary legacy of our Armed Forces— and reaffirm the NHS's commitment to those who've served. As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, we're launching our most comprehensive training programme yet to meet the unique healthcare needs of veterans. Developed with frontline experts in veterans' health and those with lived experience, this national initiative ensures those who've served receive the high-quality, specialised care they deserve.”

Carol Betteridge OBE, Deputy Services Director at Help for Heroes said:- "We're pleased to see this important step forward in supporting veterans' healthcare. Help for Heroes has already been delivering similar training through our Veteran Champion programme in NHS settings, and we look forward to working with NHS England to share our experience and help improve care for veterans and their families. The announcement follows a £50 million boost in funding to ensure veterans across the UK will have easier access to essential care and support under a new UK-wide veteran support system, called:- 'VALOUR.'"

Through the Plan for Change, the Government has delivered an extra 3 million appointments since July to cut waiting lists and provided the biggest boost to GP funding in years; an extra £889 million, and on:- Tuesday, 6 May 2025, the Government announced a further major cash injection of over £102 million to upgrade and modernize GP practices.

The Government is also bringing back the family Doctor, recruiting an additional 1,500 GPs, since October 2024, and cutting red tape so GPs spend more time caring for patients.