Royal Free London has been granted Veteran Aware status for the care it provides to those who have served in the armed forces.

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of three trusts in the capital to have been given special accreditation by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) in time for Remembrance Sunday.

King’s College Hospital and the London Ambulance Service have also been successful.

The award means the trust has signed up to the ethos of the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a guarantee by the nation that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces and their families are treated fairly.

The trust has appointed two veterans champions within the trust, Lt Col Lucy Lamb (clinical) and Gary Tolometti (non-clinical).

Links have been established to appropriate nearby veteran services including mental health care.

Plans are in place to improve the way patients who are veterans are identified and to raise awareness within the trust of veterans and the additional healthcare support they may need.

Royal Free London group chief executive Caroline Clarke said: “We want to ensure that veterans are able to access the healthcare that they need and so we’re delighted to have been given this special accreditation.

“Our work in continuing to support both staff and patients who’ve been members of the armed forces is the best way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who have those who have dedicated themselves to serving this country.”

Professor Tim Briggs CBE, NHS national director for clinical improvement in NHS England, VCHA national lead and Honorary Colonel of 202 Midlands Field Hospital, said: “It is especially poignant for the team and myself to be awarding Veteran Aware status at this time of year. 

"Many of my team are either veterans or reservists so understand about the risks that service men and women undertake. 

"It is only fair that we work towards improving healthcare for the armed forces community, once they have left active service.

“Veteran Aware accreditation means that these trusts have all made a huge commitment to the service men and women of this country. They should be very proud of the efforts they’ve made; I know I am.

“Thank you for the work you’ve all put in, despite the undoubted pressures I know you will be under at the moment.”