More veterans will benefit thanks to new NHS directive
Published: 27 November 2007
Five million more veterans are set to receive priority health treatment following a new NHS directive.
The directive will extend current fast-track access so that veterans who are not in receipt of a war pension, but who have a medical condition related to their armed forces service, are entitled to priority treatment. Previously, only veterans with war pensions were eligible.
Priority treatment only applies to conditions that are related to service, and will not allow veterans to take precedence over civilian patients with more urgent clinical need.
The Government also announced its plans to help veterans with PTSD by launching a community-based pilot scheme.
The announcement was welcomed by the Legion, and is an important breakthrough in its national ‘Honour the Covenant’ campaign.
The Legion’s Director General, Chris Simpkins, said. "This is a major gain in our campaign to Honour the Covenant, and welcome news for veterans and pensioners.
"We'll be working with the NHS to improve awareness of priority treatment among health care providers and veterans and to monitor the impact of this announcement in providing actual delivery in the clinical setting. We'll also be calling upon members of the serving and ex-service community to hold the Government to this commitment."
Mr Simpkins added: "It is impossible to say with any certainty how many veterans would be affected by this change because there are many, many veterans who require treatment for conditions resulting from their service, but who don't receive a war pension. This is good for them, but it's also good for war pensioners who aren't getting the priority treatment which they're entitled to receive."
