Join a free webinar supporting the armed forces community on Tuesday 23 June | Supporting the Armed Forces Community and Cadets

Supporting the Armed Forces Community and Cadets

Veterans who work or volunteer at KGH - Armed Forces National AccreditationThe University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) is made up of Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital. They are proud to support those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces and their families. 

As Veteran Aware accredited hospitals, we are committed to ensuring that serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families are not disadvantaged when accessing health services. 

We proudly support current employees who are reservists, cadets or veterans, and potential employees who have completed their service and are looking to join the NHS as the next step in their career.

Supporting the Armed Forces Community and Cadets

Armed Forces Covenant

The Armed Forces Act 2021 came into force in November 2022.  The Act reinforces the Armed Forces Covenant which both hospitals have signed and is supported by the Governments Veterans Strategy.

This is a legal obligation for our hospitals to have due regard to two principles:

  • Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.
  • Special consideration  is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

Armed Forces Veterans Aware Accreditation

Veteran Aware logoKettering and Northampton General Hospitals are accredited Armed Forces Veteran Aware hospitals. These awards represent our commitment to ensure that all members of the Armed Forces, whether active, reserves, former or retired members are always treated appropriately, and with no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.

Ministry of Defence (MOD) Employer Recognition Gold Award

Ministry of Defence (MOD) Employer Recognition Gold Award 2

Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals hold the Gold Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (DERS) award for their commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community.

You can read more about this scheme on the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme - GOV.UK website.

You can read more why we won the award.

We recognise the shared values of veterans and their transferable skills and resilience, making them excellent employees within the NHS.

Healthcare for the Armed Forces Community

We aim to improve the experience of veterans, regulars, reserves, cadets, and their families whether requiring healthcare or serving as employees of UHN and recognise the transferable skills and experiences of veterans.

We are committed to ensuring that members of the Armed Forces Community are supported, treated equally and receive the same standard of healthcare as any other UK citizen; including retaining their relative position on an NHS waiting list if moved around the UK due to a military service posting and veterans receiving priority treatment for conditions resulting from their service in the Armed Forces.

We can help direct you with your physical, mental and emotional needs through our wide range of services. Many of our staff have been trained to identify and respond to the specific needs of the Armed Forces Community, therefore please do not hesitate to identify yourself as a member or former member of the Armed Forces.

You can make a referral to Veterans Services

A new online form is now available, making it easier and quicker to refer to  Veterans Services, who provide information, guidance and welfare support to those who have left or are transitioning out of the Armed Forces. 

The form offers a simple and secure way for veterans, serving personnel, and those supporting them to request assistance and supporting guidance. It removes the need to download and complete paper or PDF forms, allowing referrals to be submitted directly to the Veterans Services team who will build and manage your case.  

Most referrals can be completed in just a few minutes if you have the relevant information to hand. This may include contact details for you or the person being referred, such as a telephone number, address, Service number, National Insurance number, and date of birth. If you have not served, you can still make a referral - just provide the details of the serving person or veteran you are supporting. 

What happens next? 

Once submitted, your referral is sent directly to the MOD's Veterans Services Triage team. They will review the information and classify the need before arranging the most appropriate support, including contact from a Case Manager where needed. 

Other ways to refer 

Existing referral routes, including downloadable forms, remain available. However, the new online form is the quickest and easiest option for most users. 

Start a referral 

You can access the online form and find out more about Veterans Services here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-from-veterans-services

Join a free webinar supporting the armed forces community on Tuesday 23 June

Armed Forces Day celebration 2025. the band outside the Guildhall in Northampton

During Armed Forces Week 2026, we're hosting our second annual 'Support for the Armed Forces Community' webinar. Join us for a free public webinar focusing on the support available for veterans and the wider armed forces community.  

This informative session will showcase services that support veterans' physical health and wellbeing, outline specialist support for veterans in contact with the justice system, and share lived experience from NHS staff working within secure settings. 

You'll hear about specialist services including  Op RESTORE , which supports veterans' physical health and wellbeing, and  Op NOVA , which works with veterans who are in contact with the justice system. The session will also include lived experience from NHS staff working in secure settings, offering insight into how services work together to provide care and support. 

There will also be a live Question & Answer session, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about how services work together to support the armed forces community. Open to anyone with an interest in supporting veterans and their families.

Please register your interest now to join the webinar  begin held on Tuesday 23 June starting at 6pm (opens into a new webpage)

How helpful was this page?

How helpful was this page?
Rating
*

This website uses some Essential  cookies in order to work (e.g. for logging in) and to keep you safe (e.g. to prevent people impersonating you when submitting forms, etc.). These Essential cookies are placed on your device automatically — you can find out all about them in our Privacy Policy.

Some cookies are used for analytics, in order to help us to better understand how our customers use our website, or to provide other third party services (such as translation) and these are also detailed in our Privacy Policy. You do not have to accept these cookies — in which case, you need do nothing or you can press Decline. If you are happy to accept these cookies, however, then please press the  "Accept Analytics cookies"  button (which will also dismiss this banner).

Please choose a setting: