The Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty is a legal obligation for NHS bodies to provide healthcare to the Armed Forces community, including prioritising treatment for veterans with conditions resulting from their service.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly. You can read more about the Armed Forces Covenant here:
The area is covered by the following Integrated Care System:
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System
There is no information currently available on their website regarding their obligations to meet the Armed Forces Covenant.
There are four NHS Foundation Trusts and one Trust in the area; all have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and are Veteran Aware.
There are six NHS Foundation Trusts in Norfolk and Waveney that have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and are Veteran Aware.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the armed forces covenant. You can find out more on their website:
Limited information is available on the Trust’s website:
CCS is delighted to have been formally accredited as a veteran aware healthcare provider in recognition of the Trust’s commitment and work as an exemplar of the best standards of care for serving personnel, veterans, reservists, adult cadets and families of the armed forces community. More details can be found on their website:
North West Anglia NHS FT signed the Armed Forces Covenant in June 2021 and gained accreditation in July 2022 as ‘Veteran Aware’, ensuring veterans and their families receive the best possible care. You can find our more information about support offered on their website:
Op COURAGE is the specialist mental health service for veterans in England, providing dedicated support to those who have served in the UK Armed Forces. Commissioned by the NHS, Op COURAGE offers confidential help for a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and problems linked to alcohol or substance misuse. The service is staffed by people who understand military life and its challenges, ensuring veterans receive tailored care. Support is available whether individuals have recently left the Forces or served many years ago, with self-referral options and pathways through GPs or other healthcare providers.
Click on the logo to find out more:
Op RESTORE is the NHS’s dedicated physical health and wellbeing service for veterans in England who are living with injuries or illnesses linked to their time in military service. Previously known as the Veterans Trauma Network, it was rebranded in 2023 to align with the naming of other veteran-focused NHS services.
Accessible via GP referral, the service delivers a tailored care plan drawn up by a team of civilian and military-aware clinicians, ensuring treatment by professionals who truly understand the unique health challenges faced by veterans.
Op RESTORE doesn’t shorten NHS wait times—but it ensures veterans “wait well,” connecting them to the right experts, providing welfare support from military charities, and coordinating closely with services like Op COURAGE to address any mental health needs alongside physical rehabilitation.
Click on the logo to find out more:
Next time you visit your practice tell them if you are a serving member of the armed forces, a veteran or a family member or carer of someone who is as this will help them to help you. Ask them if they have GP Veteran Friendly accreditation and look out for the logo.
You can find more information about the Veteran Friendly scheme here:
You can read about support for General Practices in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and other NHS veterans services here:
Supporting anyone who is or has served in HM Armed Forces
Including family members: spouses, widows/widowers, dependants
