Support for Armed Forces Communities
Support for Armed Forces Communities
East London NHS Foundation Trust has signed the Armed Forces Covenant to show our commitment as an organisation towards our Armed Forces Communities and in particular UK Armed Forces Veterans.
We have been acredited as a Veteran Aware trust by the Veterans Health Care Alliance (VHCA) in recognition of our commitment to improving NHS care for veterans, reservists, members of the Armed Forces and their families.
About us
This page provides up-to-date information about the work the Trust is doing via its Veterans Alliance forum to provide employment opportunities, care and treatment, and equality initiatives for our Veterans and their families. It includes organisations that provide a wide range of services for the Armed Forces Community.
For more information regarding the Trust's Veterans Alliance please contact the Veterans’ Clinical Lead Jane.kelly10@nhs.net.
Hi, I'm Chris and I’ve always been interested in aircraft, and the numerous trips to air shows and my time spent in the Air Cadets meant that joining the Royal Air Force (RAF) seemed the most logical thing to do when I left school.
I served for nine years from 1980 – 1989, initially as a Flight Line Mechanic at RAF Marham, working on Victor tankers (air-to-air refuelling) and then as a Jet propulsion Technician at RAF Watisham on Phantom Jets as part of the UK air defence. As a young man, the military provided me with everything I needed: interesting work, comradeship, discipline, a decent wage (fairly), travel to exciting places in the world, and all with 3 square meals and a bed thrown in.
I went on frequent detachments abroad, including Cyprus, Italy, The USA and Ascension Island during the Falklands War in 1982. Safe from exposure to the worst realities of war, my memories were of working long shifts, cold food, shared tents with little chance of sleep (snoring), sweltering heat, sunstroke, and the ever-present flies.
My service period was also during the Cold War, which saw heightened tensions between the West and the Soviet Union. I recall staff leaving the service, only to return a few months later, as they felt unable to cope with their experiences of civilian life. After nine years I decided that it was time for a change and as I approached the end of my service, I was supported with a resettlement course. I chose to take my Heavy Goods Vehicle license, which provided me with a marketable skill and meant I could at least earn and support myself.
In the years before I left, I was living off base, had links to the local community and interests outside of the military. I think this strategy paid off, as I could see options outside of the military and therefore, I had fewer concerns than some of the staff I’d seen a similar situation.
It took a while to acclimatise to the new landscape, to understand and navigate my way through civilian systems and services i.e. registering with a GP and Dentist. The cost of dental treatment came as a bit of a shock too, as it had been free in the RAF! I was living on my own at the time, and overnight I went from a well-paid, team-based job to a low-paid solitary one. I wasn’t fully prepared for this loss of contact and found the solitude and isolation challenging at times.
On reflection, although I had no further contact with the RAF once I’d left, I feel I would certainly have benefited from a wider community of support to ease my transition into civilian life.
For this reason, I became involved with the ELFT Armed Forces Community and one of its key objectives of raising staff awareness about the health and social needs of veterans and their families using our services. I’d urge staff to check out the Armed Forces Community tab on the ELA homepage for more information on the subject. There are links to resources, a questionnaire to help us better understand current levels of awareness, and a comprehensive e-learning activity covering the all the key areas.
I’m Sharon an Army Veterans wife currently living in Dorset with my husband and 3 of our 5 children. I joined the project after a telephone call with the lead Jane Kelly, where she invited me and gave me confidence to become one of the voices for the Armed Forces Veterans Community. I started the role on a voluntary basis and have since become a paid member of ELFT which made me feel even more valued.
Within the military community, I have been a volunteer Youth and Community worker for many years with the Army Welfare Service and other agencies. I am also a volunteer for The Ripple Pond and a volunteer with the Military Wives Choirs, all of these are part of the reasoning alongside my family for being in this project.
I have been part of the ELFT team since 2020 and am extremely proud and grateful to work alongside everyone. Seeing how far the project has come from our initial meetings to gaining and keeping The Veterans HealthCare Alliance Accreditation as well as the Silver Defence Employment Recognition Award.
My confidence has grown and I have received incredible support throughout my journey with the team. I was given the opportunity to learn about Quality Improvement on multiple courses and also have ongoing support and training. I have worked alongside CAMHS on a project and spoken at multiple meetings about the impact of military life on the families. From the very beginning I have always made it known that I am passionate about the families voice being heard alongside the veterans. My role as an Armed Forces Veteran Community Champion within ELFT enables me to do this and so much more.
I've now progressed to Armed Forces Accreditation Lead working with teams in ELFT to develop a deeper understanding of the Armed Forces Community at a local level. Through this the teams identify champions in each area who help to raise awareness.
Hi, my name is Glynis and I am a veteran’s wife. I work as an Armed Forces and Veterans’ Champion within ELFT, supporting the NHS and Armed Forces personnel and veterans, their families and carers, to be more aware of mental and physical health care, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant, to ensure that the NHS can meet the needs of this community. I have been in this role for around 2 years. My work is varied. I help to inform on the design and delivery of services and work on quality improvement. I attend regular team meetings, research, meet people, and I talk and listen to others’ stories too. Everyone has their own story and those stories are wide and varied, but there are a lot of things that are common to all the stories too, and through those stories we learn the best way to support, and can signpost to relevant colleagues.
I have lived experience through being married into the RAF. I was employed by the NHS when I met Alan. We had our first date in January followed by a whirlwind romance and he proposed just two and a half months later. He then went away for the summer, returning in October, and we married in November. In 12 years we went through 5 postings, plus there were quite a few deployments, which meant I was often running solo with the children. We have two children who are now grown up, and two grandchildren.
I have done voluntary work with the Padre, supporting other wives, some of whom were away from their own families for the first time, having just married into the RAF, with everything being new to them. I have also volunteered with the children’s play group, and later with youth group and several voluntary posts within the NHS, including becoming the chairman of a patient participation group. I am also a member of the Military Wives Choir, which is a charity and support network as well as a choir, that has become a part of the community.
The work at East London NHS Foundation Trust for this community is tremendously important and I am proud to be involved. I hope that my lived experience will help, as will everything I continue to learn.
Hi my name is Nicole, I am a Veteran and served in the British Army. My military trade was in the Adjutant General’s Corps, Staff Personnel Support. Within this branch, I ensured that military personnel were ready to be deployed at short notice, managing their personal information, finances, and general administrative support to get the mission done. I had a fantastic time serving in the army, enduring lots of training and adventure. I also had the opportunity to support British Amateur boxing, officiating at numerous competitions as a Boxing Judge / Timekeeper.
I currently work at Newham CAMHS as a People Participation Worker. My role is working with children, young people and their families who are presenting with a range of mental health challenges. I engage with young people in meaningful discussions about their lived experience of mental health, NHS support and access, to empower their voices to design and deliver positive change in our health service.
I am enthusiastic to be part of the National Health Service workforce that delivers the best possible mental health support and intervention for all our service users. I believe that Veterans are an integral part of the NHS workforce as we have great transferable skills and our immense lived experiences. Veterans employed in any organisation bring a lot to the table, displaying their adaptability to their environment, being a resourceful and valuable team member with a wide wealth of knowledge and great leadership qualities.
I am proud to be part of East London Foundation Trust, one of many NHS Trusts embracing and supporting the Armed Forces Covenant providing the best care possible and recruiting Veterans into the health service as they transition from serving our country into adaptable healthcare roles serving our communities. Team ELFT = Team Veterans!
Armed Forces Alliance Johanna Hrycak (‘JJ’) – Armed Forces Covenant Support Officer, Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Milton Keynes City Council.
JJ joined the Army Reserves 26 years ago as a Combat Medical Technician. She has since been attached to the Rifles, Army Air Corps, Intelligence Corps and has now commissioned into the RLC.
JJ managed an Army Careers Centre for three years before entering the Armed Forces Covenant world in 2018.
Her husband is also a reservist, and one of her four teenage children has recently joined the Royal Naval Reserves too. Her three daughters are all in the Air Cadets. JJ’s husband has mobilised on operations several times, leaving her to manage the home and children whilst working full time. The support of a forces friendly employer has been key in ensuring the families wellbeing throughout these periods of separation.
JJ took both Milton Keynes City Council and hospital to ERS Gold, and two other organisations to Silver. She advocates strongly for the ERS to many other local organisations and mentors them through the process, working closely with DRM/RFCAs.
JJ has been key in establishing a large network of veterans, reservists, families and forces friendly employers and charities in Milton Keynes. She is passionate about planning events to bring the network together in support of the military community. She sits on and helps manage the local Civil Military Partnership Board at MK City Council and has also taken on the role of RBL Buckinghamshire Reserve Liaison Officer. She also routinely delivers GP ‘Veteran Friendly’ training regionally working closely with the VCHA.
