CARE
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The aim of the Care Pillar is to lead within Veterans Scotland on all Care provision related matters to ensure that the ex-Service community in Scotland is well informed on how veterans can access care appropriate to individual needs. In addition, the Care agenda includes to:
- Identify and work together with MOD and the Scottish Government in the field of care and provision to veterans.
- Review current Care provision against ex-Service need, identifying both shortfalls and duplication
- Lead on lobbying over adequate funding for care
ACCESSING CARE
In Scotland the early involvement of local authorities' Social Services staff is strongly recommended. Social Services are required to assess an individual's care needs. In addition they assess individuals for Free personal and Free Nursing Care payments.
Tel: 0845 1300 975
Email: info@ssafa.org.uk
SSAFA Forces Help case workers are available to advise those veterans in need, and their families. There are SSAFA Forces Help Branches throughout Scotland. Contact details are listed in all BT telephone directories.
PRIORITY FOR VETERANS
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN PRACTICE?
- It, means for example, if you suffered any ill health or injury during your service - (this will normally, but not always, be recorded on your service medical records) - that now requires further treatment, your GP will indicate, when referring to your time in the Armed Forces. The NHS department will then take account of this in allocating you an appointment. They will review their current waiting list, and, provided there are not any other patients with a greater clinical need on the list, you will be given a priority appointment.
- Priority treatment ONLY applies to conditions which are related to your service. (The NHS in Scotland is, however, working towards a maximum waiting time for ALL NHS patients from referral to treatment of 18 weeks by 2011).
- It is for your clinical practitioner to decide, on the balalnce of probabilites, whether your condition is related to your service.
- You are under no obligation at any time to declare yourself a veteran and you may not wish to do so. You may, however, wish to discuss this entitlement with your GP during your consultation for treatment of a condition related to yoru service.
- All veterans are able to use the NHS complaints procedure to resolve any breakdowns in the arrangement for priority treatment.
- All Army, Navy and Air Force personnel who served at least one day and are considered veterans for this purpose
- Reservists
- Former members of the Merchant Navy who took part in legally-defined UK military operations.
Recent guidance to the NHS from Scottish Government (CEL{2008} dated 13 February 2008) outlines the extension of priority treatment for health conditions related to service to include ALL veterans with effect from 29 February 2008. If any staff you deal with are unsure of your entitlement, please refer them to this document.
Some mental health problems do not manifest themselves until sometime after completing service. If you feel that your condition may be mental health related, and you wish further guidance on the assistance available, this can be obtained by telephoning the Medical Assessment Programme on 0800 169 5401 or Combat Stress on Tel: 01372 841600 or Email: contactus@combatstress.org.uk
Any information you prodive will be treated in the strictest confidence.
You may prefer, initially, to discuss your entitlement with your local Citizens Advice Bureau. Details of your local office can be found on their website www.cas.org.uk/webofficefinder.aspx or your local telephone directory.
USEFUL CONTACTS
www.veteransscotland.org.uk Tel: 0131 557 2782 www.veterans-uk.info Tel: 0800 169 2277 www.veterans-uk.com/map/faq www.nhs24.com/content www.cas.org.uk www.scotland.gov.uk
PILOT SCHEME WITH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
YOUNGER VETERANS
Erskine is currently conducting a pilot scheme with Headley Court (MOD Rehabilitation Centre) to identify younger veterans wounded and injured on operations and enable those wishing to settle in Scotland to access Erskine's facilities and gain support from other Veterans Scotland's Charities.
Charities providing care for Veterans in Scotland
Tel: 0141 812 4538 (Admissions Departments for All Homes)
Erskine provides Long Term Nursing Care, Long Term Dementia Care, Short Term/Respite Nursing and Rehabilitataion Services across Scotland in purpose-built care homes:
- The Erskine Home, Bishopton, Renfrewshire
- Erskine Park, Bishopton, Renfrewshire
- Erskine Mains Home, Bishopton, Renfrewshire
- Erskine Edinburgh Home, Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh
- Erskine Glasgow Home, Dorchester Avenue, Glasgow
Erskine Bursary Scheme (Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth and Dundee)
Construction works on the 48 bed extension to the Erskine Edinburgh Home commenced in April 2008 and will be operational in Summer 2009.
Further information can be obtained from Admissions on Tel: 0141 814 4538
Tel: 0208 590 1124
Fax: 0208 599 2932
Email: Headquarters@blesma.org
Ancaster House, Crieff
BLESMA – The British Limbless ex-Service Men’s Association – is a membership organisation which looks after the interests of and provides a welfare and care service for serving and ex-Service personnel who have lost limbs for whatever reason. This includes those who lose an eye or sight of an eye and those who lose the use of a limb as a result of service.
BLESMA is obviously very involved with casualties that meet its categories from events in Iraq and Afghanistan. For them it concentrates on ambitious rehabilitative pursuits including adventurous activities on land and sea. Welfare support will be provided through life as and when it is needed. While the voluntary ethos of member looking after member still occurs, increasingly this welfare support is provided by the Association’s own bespoke professional welfare service.
The bulk of BLESMA’s membership still consists of those who lost limbs in the 2nd World War
And Korea and for them – where it’s comprehensive welfare service is not enough – it provides residential care at its two Care Homes, one of which, the Ancaster BLESMA Home, is in Crieff, Perthshire. The Home also provides seasonal respite for BLESMA members and Widows from across the UK. Residential care is also provided for non-disabled ex service men and women on an available vacancy basis.
The Home in Crieff remains at the heart of BLESMA activity in Scotland, and Scotland is where the first group of limbless ex-service men gathered – in 1919.
Tel: 01372 841600
Email: contactus@combatstress.org.uk
Hollybush House, Ayr
SERVICE RELATED PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURY
The Ex-Services Mental Health Society, better known as Combat Stress, takes the lead in providing welfare support and remedial treatment to veterans living in the community suffering from mental health problems often related to traumatic events experienced during their service careers. During the course of the year the Scottish Government has made an announcement about the establishment of a veterans community based mental service, and at the same time it is engaged in discussions with the Society with the aim of establishing a National Centre of Excellence for the treatment of trauma at Hollybush House for veterans resident in Scotland in need of such specialist care. Be in no doubt, the greater majority of the veterans being helped by Combat Stress have poor psychological and physical health, with chronic and complex conditions, exacerbated by a wide range of social and economic conditions. The work of the Society and its many partner organisations in Scotland is essential if these veterans are going to be able to survive in the community.
- There is also the opportunity for former RAF personnel to be cared for at Alastrean House, near Aberdeen. Further details from: www.rafbf.org