Boston’s Primary Care Network (PCN) signed the Covenant on 24th of May 2022 as their commitment to ensure that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
Andrew Poole, practice manager at Kirton Medical Centre, served in the armed forces for 23 years and said it was an honour to recognise all veterans and their service to this nation, in conjunction with Armed Forces Day.
Andrew said: “The covenant is a pledge that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy, and society they serve with their lives.”
Lisa Baldwin, practice manager at Parkside Medical Centre who also served in the armed forces said: “each practice signed up has an appointed clinical lead and our GP surgeries actively identify veterans to ensure they get the appropriate care at the right time and ensure any related service medical problem is identified and treated as follows:
- The armed forces community should enjoy the same standard of, and access to healthcare as that received by any other UK citizen in the area they live.
- Family members should retain their place on any NHS waiting list, if moved around the UK due to the service person being posted.
- Veterans should receive priority treatment for a condition which relates to their service, subject to clinical need.
- Those injured in service should be cared for in a way that reflects the nation’s moral obligation to them, by healthcare professionals who understand the Armed Forces culture.”
David Harding, practice manager at Swineshead Medical Group said, “After serving 25 years in the Royal Air Force as a ‘Medic’, I have had the honour to work with many different service personnel who have been on different operations all over the world. It is sometime very difficult to share some of the distressing situations they have experienced with those who have not experienced the same sort of thing. By signing up to the covenant we hope to expand the variety of support to ensure our veterans are being treated fairly.”
Find out more information about Armed Forces Day.
For more information visit: https://bostonpcn.co.uk/
The Armed Forces Breakfast Club meets every Saturday at 0900 at the Sizzling Pub and Grill, Marsh Lane, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 7QS. The Breakfast Clubs exist to help veterans, and often currently serving Armed Forces personnel, by meeting face to face, in a relaxed, safe, and social environment.
Published 24/06/2022