University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has been recognised for its care of members of the armed forces by being named a Veteran Aware Trust.

The accreditation, from the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VC HA), acknowledges the trust’s commitment to a number of key pledges, including: ensuring that the armed forces community is never disadvantaged compared to other patients; training relevant staff on veteran specific culture or needs; making veterans, reservists and service families aware of appropriate charities or NHS services beneficial to them, and supporting the armed forces as an employee.

The trust was presented with a Veteran Aware plaque by John Young, deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, at a ceremony held at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital recently.

David Moss, chairman of UHD said: “We are absolutely committed to supporting our armed forces community and I hope this status amplifies the fact we are there for them when we need us.

“It is key that we provide the best possible support for veterans and their families while also supporting the recruitment and retention of veterans, military families and reservists here in our hospitals.”

John Young said: “It’s particularly heartening to see this collaboration so a massive thank you to everybody for making it happen, for making the armed forces covenant a reality, and for doing it so well to benefit veterans and their families.”

Nick Williams from the trust’s Armed Forces Support Group, and armed forces advocate, added: “As part of our commitment to being Veteran Aware, we successfully put a bid in to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to employ an Armed Forces Community Advocate for a period of two years.

“A key part of the Advocate’s role will be raising staff awareness of health problems faced by veterans, and recruiting a team of voluntary armed forces champions from across our hospital sites to improve our services to armed forces veterans.”