New Report Highlights Army Veterans’ Experiences of Accessing Healthcare in Shropshire
The report, Veterans’ Experiences of Accessing Healthcare in Shropshire, is due to be discussed at the next Shropshire Health and Wellbeing Board meeting, where organisations responsible for planning and providing local health and care services will consider its findings and recommendations.
The report is based on conversations with veterans across Shropshire during summer 2025. Veterans shared a range of experiences, including positive examples of care where services understood military backgrounds and the challenges faced by ex-service personnel. However, many also described difficulties navigating the healthcare system and uncertainty about the support available to them.
The report found that:
- Many veterans are unclear about why they should identify themselves as veterans or how it could affect their care.
- Veteran status is not always recorded consistently across healthcare services.
- Information is not always shared effectively between GP practices, hospitals and other services.
- Awareness of healthcare entitlements for veterans varies.
- Some veterans can experience difficulties when moving from military to civilian healthcare services.
The report also highlights positive feedback about local mental health support and the role of Armed Forces outreach work in helping veterans feel understood and supported.
The findings come at a time when public bodies are being asked to strengthen support for the Armed Forces community through the Armed Forces Covenant. The Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty requires certain public bodies, including local authorities, to give due regard to Covenant principles when carrying out functions relating to healthcare, education and housing. Work is also underway nationally to explore extending the scope of the legal duty further.
You can read the full report below.
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