Before we had Armed Forces Day, we had Veteran’s Day, which was first observed in 2006. In 2009, the official event became Armed Forces Day and now takes place on the last Saturday of June. The day encompasses serving personnel, their families, veterans and cadets, and marks a week of celebrations during which the public show their support for the Armed Forces community.

So, what are you and/or your organisation doing to support Armed Forces Day? If you’re stuck for ideas, head across to armedforcesday.org.uk where there are lots of resources to help you get involved or organise your own event, including #SaluteOurForces.

But, for me, as someone who’s a veteran and now President of the Royal Naval Association (Norwich Branch), I can see how and why for some veterans, support is needed throughout the year – and that support comes from a wide variety of sources, including general practice.

One of the easiest ways to improve health outcomes for veterans is to become a Veteran Friendly Accredited practice; there are over 3,000 already accredited, with 99% of practices who have gone through the process, recommending it. The scheme is much needed, as there are over 1.74 million veterans in England and one of the barriers many veterans face is a worry that they won’t be understood by civilian healthcare professionals. You can listen to a veteran’s view of how accreditation helped him. For more information, see the Guidance on how to become a veteran friendly accredited GP practice [PLUS].

Support for veterans is widespread with multiple charities offering a range of services. So, another option you have is to link in with a local veteran’s group or charity; you can learn what’s needed and how your practice could help. It could be something as simple as hosting a coffee morning, or facilitating a drop-in session, where veterans can talk to like-minded people about issues that matter to them and seek guidance and support.

You could introduce a veterans’ champion, someone with knowledge of both local and national support services for veterans and their families. They can share their knowledge of what support is available and help veterans get the best possible care, when they need it. There are so many sources of support including Op Courage, Royal British Legion, SSAFA, Veterans Welfare Service, BLESMA, COMBAT STRESS and many more.

Sometimes, though, it’s not healthcare support that a veteran might need; some veterans feel isolated and lonely – they might be missing the banter and camaraderie, but you can still help. There are many associations across the country, with most cities and towns having their own branches, such as the Royal Naval Association. The Army tends to have Regimental Associations and there’s the Royal Air Force Association. Your veterans’ champion can signpost patients to your local associations; it might just be the link a veteran needs, and it can make a big difference.

When you take off the uniform for the last time and hand in the ID card, all you’ve got left are the memories and sadly, for many, that’s simply not enough. Your veterans need you.

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