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The Veteran Friendly GP Scheme

1. What is the Veteran Friendly GP Practice Scheme?

The Veteran Friendly GP Practice Accreditation, delivered by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and supported by NHS England, is a voluntary programme that helps GP practices identify, understand, and better support patients who have served in the UK Armed Forces.

Accredited practices commit to:

  • Asking new patients if they have served and accurately coding veteran status

  • Appointing a clinical lead who completes RCGP veteran-specific training

  • Staying up to date with veteran healthcare pathways and Armed Forces Covenant duties

The Royal British Legion supports the adoption of the scheme, having seen the effective benefits for the Armed Forces community at GP practices that have adopted it so far.

 

2. Why is the scheme important?

  • Veterans have unique health needs

  • Veterans are more likely to experience:

    • Long-term physical conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, and service-related health issues

    • Mental health challenges such as PTSD, mood disorders, adjustment disorders, and substance-related issues

  • Many GPs don’t know who their veteran patients are

  • Without proper identification, opportunities for specialist referrals or service-related clinical insight can be missed. Accreditation ensures veterans are consistently recognised

  • Better access to specialist veteran NHS services

  • Accredited practices can more easily refer veterans to services including:

    • Op COURAGE – Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

    • Op RESTORE – Physical Health and Rehabilitation Service

  • Supports legal and policy obligations

  • Under the Armed Forces Act 2021, GP practices must show “Due Regard” for the Armed Forces community. Accreditation provides a straightforward way to demonstrate compliance

  • The scheme is widely adopted

  • As of early 2025, 65.9% of GP practices in England are already accredited, making it a well-established national standard

 

3. How you can help a GP practice join

A. Start a conversation

When engaging with a Practice Manager or GP Partner, emphasise that accreditation is:

  • Free and simple

  • Supported by RCGP and NHS England

  • A practical way to improve care for an often overlooked patient group

B. Reinforce the benefits to the practice

Accreditation provides:

  • Better understanding of patient backgrounds

  • Improved accuracy of records

  • Compliance with the Armed Forces Covenant

  • Faster and more appropriate referrals