North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust will be joining the nation this weekend in observing the two-minute national silences at 11am on Armistice Day (Saturday 11 November) and at 11am on Remembrance Sunday (Sunday 12 November).
Combined Healthcare’s Chief Operating Officer Ben Richards and other colleagues will also be representing the trust at the Stoke-on-Trent City Council service on Sunday 12 November.
Veteran Aware
On 6 February 2023, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust was proud to be awarded the prestigious Veteran Aware accreditation. This accreditation recognises the trust’s commitment to identifying and sharing best practice across the NHS, as an exemplar of the best standards of care for the Armed Forces community.
Since this time, the trust has worked together with its teams and in close collaboration with those who have lived experience in achieving the following accomplishments:
- The ongoing development of clinical training, specific to staffing groups, in co-production and supported by people with lived experience.
- The roll-out of our “Help for Heroes Veterans Moving Forward” course facilitated via the Wellbeing College.
- In summer 2023, we facilitated an art group, funded by Community Transformation funding, where artwork was then displayed in an art gallery.
- The implementation and ongoing development of dedicated GP slots for veterans within our Primary Care services.
- The delivery of our System Inclusion School in June 2023.
- We had a trust stand at the Armed Forces Day event at Longton Park on 25 June 2023.
- Veteran status is now captured on our ESR recording system to support ways in which we can continue to support our employees whether they are a veteran, or a spouse of serving armed forces.
- Veterans e-learning courses have been added to our LMS (online learning management system) dashboard to increase knowledge and raise awareness of the specific needs of veterans and their families within healthcare services.
- We remain committed to ensuring that no member of the armed forces community will face disadvantage in accessing healthcare and that our Veteran Aware activity continues to develop in close collaboration with the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA).
Find out more about our Veteran Aware accreditation at https://www.combined.nhs.uk/combined-receive-veterans-aware-accreditation/
