One in four veterans has not told their GP practice they served, according to data from the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), as the Government launches a training programme for NHS staff to improve care for Armed Forces patients.
The RCGP survey also found that over half of veterans (55%) have experienced a mental or physical health issue potentially related to their service since leaving the Armed Forces.
Yet one in seven (14%) have not sought help from a healthcare professional, suggesting many are struggling in silence.
The findings come as practice managers are urged to sign up to the Veteran Friendly Accreditation scheme run by the Royal College of GPs and NHS England.
Separately, the Government launched new dedicated training, backed by £1.8 million, to help NHS workers identify patients with an armed forces background and provide the right support. GPs, doctors, nurses, therapists and managers will work with regional trainers to embed this support across the NHS.
The reasons for the 27% not sharing their veteran status with their GP practice included not being asked (28%), assuming their GP already knows from their medical record (14%) and never having been told to do so (18%).
Research showed that while the average GP practice sees a veteran patient every day, almost half (47%) of practices may be unaware of how many of their patients are veterans.
When it comes to not seeking help needed, the RCGP survey of nearly 5,000 veterans undertaken in 2024, revealed the most common reasons were veterans preferring to manage issues on their own (30%) and a belief that a civilian health professional ‘won’t understand their experiences’ (15%).
However, almost two-thirds of veterans (63%) said they would be more likely to seek help if they knew their GP practice was signed up to the Veteran Friendly Accreditation scheme.
The scheme is a quick-to-implement, free support programme that provides busy practice teams with a simple process for identifying, understanding and supporting veterans and, where appropriate, referring them to specialist physical and mental healthcare services designed especially for them.
More than 4,400 GP practices in England have already signed up for the scheme.
Jane Taylor, practice manager at the Wombwell Medical Centre in South Yorkshire, said ‘it felt like a natural for us to do for our veteran patients’ to become accredited.
‘Asking the simple question, ‘Have you ever served in the Armed Forces?’ has made a real difference. It helps us understand our patients better and connect them quickly to specialist NHS and community support when needed,’ she said.
She added that becoming accredited was ‘straightforward’ and is ‘greatly appreciated by veterans and their families’.
An evaluation of the scheme by the University of Chester revealed that 99% of accredited practices recommended it, with the most valued benefits cited as the simple process for identifying veterans, clear referral pathways to specialist NHS veteran healthcare services and faster access to dedicated support.
Signing up to become Veteran Friendly Accredited takes 20 minutes and can be done by anyone in the surgery team, clinical or non-clinical, with practice managers often taking the lead.
There are an estimated 1.74 million veterans in England. Research shows they may face health needs related to their service, including musculoskeletal problems, chronic pain, mental health issues, substance misuse, adjustment disorders and hearing loss.
