Veterans Covenant Service
Our Veterans Covenant Service is a broad service that aims to ensure we support the needs of veterans and their families, and that we are in line with the NHS commitment to the Armed Forces Community.
The Veteran Covenant Service are here to:
- Provide veterans under the care of our secondary services with an expert and dedicated service to help them prepare for discharge to support their long-term recovery.
- Help make veterans and their families aware of the relevant NHS services, and third sector providers that can provide them with care and support.
- Ensure our Surrey and Borders Partnership colleagues are involved in supporting veterans and their families, and have access to training to help them understand the needs of people from the Armed Forced Community.
Helping you to plan for discharge from our services
Our Veterans Covenant Service can support veterans under the care of our secondary services as they prepare for discharge. We will work alongside our secondary care teams to provide veterans with expert and dedicated support. The aim is to ensure the needs of veterans are met and they receive guidance and support to help them with their continued recovery after discharge.
How our discharge planning service works
We offer people who are under the care of our secondary care services and who are due to be discharged within 6-8 weeks the following support:
- An individual assessment to identify a person’s needs. If the service is appropriate, the person will be invited to attend up to six individual/group sessions offering tailored advice and support. These cover topics, such as: confidence building, goal setting, help with accessing peer support networks and support available for family and dependents. These sessions are currently virtual.
- Signposting to other services that can help provide support for unmet needs, spanning health, housing, employment and social care etc.
- A smooth transfer of care from secondary services back to the GP or other services.
- An advocacy service to represent a person’s interests across healthcare settings.
Who can access the service?
The following people can access the service:
- All those who have served or continue to serve in the Armed Forces, including cadets and reservists, who are under the care of our secondary services and are aged 18+
- A person must also reside in Surrey or North East Hampshire
- People with cognitive impairment, such as dementia, will be assessed to see if they would benefit from individual sessions but group sessions would not be suitable.
How to be referred to the service
- Only referrals from our secondary care teams will be accepted. Where possible, these should be received 6-8 weeks before a person is discharged.
- The referrer will continue to be responsible for co-ordinating the person’s care while they are being supported by this service. If a person is being discharged from an inpatient ward, they will need to be under the care of our Community Mental Health Recovery Service.
Contact us for more information
The Veterans Covenant Service, including the discharge planning and support we offer, is provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. It is led by Mental Health Practitioner, Susan Tilley, and supported by a peer support worker. If you have any questions about the Service, contact: Veteran.CovenantServices@sabp.nhs.uk
The service is provided Mon-Fri from 9-5pm.