Did you know that every military veteran who meets the minimum criteria for a job at LPT is guaranteed an interview? Or that we offer tailored support to help ex-forces members navigate the NHS?
We committed to this back in 2017 when we signed the Armed Forces Covenant, now called the Military Covent – we pledged to ensure that those who serve, have served, and their families are treated with fairness, respect, and the support they deserve.
We’re proud to say our “Veteran Aware” accreditation has recently been renewed by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance; we’ve held this accreditation continuously since 2019.
One of the champions behind this work is Samantha Wood, LPT’s head of service for mental health inpatients and urgent care – and a former member of the RAF herself. Samantha proudly says the decision to guarantee and interview for all suitably qualified military applicants is an obvious decision as the armed forces community: “They have a lot of transferrable skills that we would really benefit from.” Our support extends beyond recruitment. LPT offers reservists up to ten extra days of paid leave each year so they can attend their annual training camps, and we are committed to supporting staff who are mobilised for military service.
We also make sure to ask our patients whether they currently serve or have previously served in the armed forces. Samantha explains why this matters: “If we are aware someone is a veteran, there might be additional questions we ask.” That is because ex-forces personnel are statistically more likely to experience musculoskeletal issues or mental health challenges.
To make accessing NHS care easier, we guide them towards the veterans dedicated helpline Op Community, which also helps veterans understand how to access the right NHS services as our systems can look very different to those they were used to during their period of service.
We’ve also built strong connections between the welfare teams at Kendrew Barracks in Rutland and our neighbourhood mental health networks in Rutland and Melton, helping to create a smooth, well supported pathway for those transitioning out of the military.
To learn more about our support for the armed forces community, go to: https://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/about/corporate-responsibilities/supporting-serving-and-ex-service-personnel/ .