Document Type:
PROCEDURE
Unique Identifier:
CORP/PROC/317
Title:
Version Number:
1
Priority Treatment For Ex Service Personnel (Military
Veterans) With Service Related Health Conditions
Scope:
Trust Wide
Status:
Ratified
Classification:
Organisational
Author/Originator and title:
Mary Aubrey / Associate Director of Corporate Affairs
Replaces:
New Procedure
Responsibility:
Clinical
Governance
Description of amendments:
Name Of:
Divisional/Directorate/Working
Group:
Clinical Governance Management
Team Meeting
Date of Meeting:
Risk Assessment:
Not Applicable
05/11/2010
Validated by:
Validation Date:
Dr P Kelsey
05/11/2010
Ratified by:
Clinical Governance Committee
Ratified Date:
09/12/2010
Financial
Implications
Not Applicable
Which Principles
of the NHS
Constitution
Apply?
Principle 3
Issue Date:
09/12/2010
Review dates may alter if any significant changes are made
Review Date:
01/12/2013
Does this document meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to
Race, Religion, Age, Disability, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity,
Pregnancy & Maternity and Marriage and Civil Partnership discrimination?
Not Applicable
1. PURPOSE
To ensure that priority treatment is given to ex service personnel (Military Veterans)
with services related health conditions.
2. SCOPE
This Procedure applies to all members of staff who are directly employed by The Trust.
3. PROCEDURE
3.1 Responsibility
•
Overall accountability for this Procedure within The Trust lies with the Chief
Executive.
•
Line Managers are responsible for ensuring their staff are aware of the procedure.
•
All staff are responsible for ensuring they are aware of the requirement to prioritise
military veterans for treatment related to military service related health conditions
where appropriate.
3.2 Priority Treatment For Veterans Who Have Service Related Health Conditions
Some veterans have service related health conditions i.e. health problems related to
their military service. These health conditions sometimes do not manifest themselves
until long after service is terminated. Veterans with service related health conditions
should be given priority treatment unless there is an emergency case or another case
demands clinical priority.
It is suggested that veterans are most likely to present with service related conditions
requiring:
•
•
•
Audiology services
Mental health services
Orthopaedic services
3.3 Referrals
Priority will apply to new referrals and should not apply to any veteran who is already
undergoing treatment, as to prioritise veterans at this stage could affect other people
who have already received dates for appointments.
GP referrals may be received which state that the patient is a veteran and has a
condition related to military service. Otherwise it is the responsibility of the patient to
raise with clinicians that they think their condition is related to military service. The
clinician should then decide whether priority should be given.
Clinicians are not expected to systematically ask patients whether they are veterans,
suffering from a condition which they believe is related to their military service.
ID No. CORP/PROC/317
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3.4 Veteran Status
Evidence of veteran status may be in a variety of forms such as GP referral letter, war
pension documentation, or a letter on headed notepaper from the Ministry of Defence.
Further information can be obtained from the Veterans website: See section 8.
3.5 Information
Staff will receive instructions regarding this Ex Service Personnel (Military
Veterans) procedure from a number of sources:
•
•
•
Procedural Document Library
Line manager
Other communication methods (e.g. Team Brief/team meetings, email)
3.6 Record Keeping
All staff employed by the Trust are required to ensure adequate records are maintained
at all times.
3.7 Review and Dissemination
The Procedure will be reviewed 3 yearly and in accordance with the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Legislative changes
Good practice guidance
Case law
Significant incidents reported
New vulnerabilities
Changes to organisational infrastructure
Introduction of new systems and processes
3.8 Performances
Performance against key performance indicators with regards to incidents and
complaints will be monitored on an annual basis by the Clinical Governance
Committee, and used to inform the development of this procedural document. See
Section 8
4. ATTACHMENTS
None
5. ELECTRONIC AND MANUAL RECORDING OF INFORMATION
Electronic Database for Procedural Documents
Held By Policy Co-ordinators/ Archive office
6. LOCATIONS THIS DOCUMENT ISSUED TO
Copy No
1
2
ID No. CORP/PROC/317
Location
Intranet
Wards and Departments
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Date Issued
09/12/2010
09/12/2010
7. OTHER RELEVANT / ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS
Unique Identifier
CORP/PROC/403
CORP/STRAT/006
CORP/PROC/101
CLIN/GOV/PROC/001
Title and web links from the document library
Complaints Procedure
http://bfwnet/departments/policies_procedures/document
s/Procedure/Corp_Proc_403.pdf
Risk Management Strategy
http://bfwnet/departments/policies_procedures/document
s/Strategy/Corp_Strat_006.pdf
Untoward Incident And Serious Incident Reporting
Procedure
http://bfwnet/departments/policies_procedures/document
s/Procedure/Corp_Proc_101.pdf
Records Management Within The Clinical Governance
Directorate (Not sure if this is the right one)
http://bfwnet/departments/policies_procedures/document
s/Procedure/Clin_Gov_Proc_001.pdf
8. SUPPORTING REFERENCES / EVIDENCE BASED DOCUMENTS
References In Full
http://www.veterans-uk.info/vets_issues/healtcare.htm
9. CONSULTATION WITH STAFF AND PATIENTS
Name
Gillian Wood
Designation
Policy Coordinator /Archivist
10. DEFINITIONS / GLOSSARY OF TERMS
NAME
Ex-Service
Personnel
DEFINITION
This relates to both men and women who present with service
related health conditions.
11. AUTHOR/DIVISIONAL/DIRECTORATE MANAGER APPROVAL
Issued By Mary Aubrey
Job Title
Associate Director of
Corporate Affairs
Signature
Date
ID No. CORP/PROC/317
Checked
By
Dr Paul Kelsey
Job Title
Medical Director
Signature
December 2010
Date
December 2010
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