Andy, who leads Dorset HealthCare’s Armed Forces Community Health and Wellbeing Team, said he was “absolutely amazed and humbled” by the announcement. He added that the prestigious accolade was “not just for me, but for all those alongside me.”

The MBE caps a fantastic year for Andy, after his team scooped the Excellence in Mental Health Care accolade at the NHS70 Parliamentary Awards this summer. He collected that honour at the Houses of Parliament in July.

Andy joined the Trust in 2007 after more than 20 years’ experience in the military, including peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, and quickly set about creating a dedicated service to support the county’s growing armed forces population.

The team provides vital health and welfare support as service personnel and their families make the transition to civilian life, helping them overcome issues around health, homelessness, relationship breakdowns and unemployment.

Andy helped set up a ‘hub’ group that brought together charities and other organisations such as the police and local councils to provide more seamless, targeted support for local veterans.

His efforts were recognised in 2015 when Dorset HealthCare became the only NHS organisation in the south west to earn the Silver Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Award from the Ministry of Defence.

In recent years, Andy’s team has helped develop a local care pathway tailored to retired and serving personnel, which provided specialist support to 55 people in its first year.

Eugine Yafele, who was recently appointed the Trust’s new chief executive, said the honour was very well deserved. “Andy does so much, so selflessly, for our veterans and serving forces community. All of us at Dorset HealthCare are pleased for Andy and proud of him,” he said.