"Health on Hand: The Passport Every Veteran Should Carry"
Over the last few months, Healthwatch Rotherham and the Armed Forces Welfare Officer at Rotherham Hospital (TRFT) have visited the veterans at MCVC Rotherham and discussed the benefits of having a health passport. Their ideas and input has been invaluable.
The Veterans Health Passport is a small document that was designed to help military veterans communicate their health history, service-related conditions, and specific needs to healthcare providers. The idea behind it, is that it supports continuity of care, especially when transitioning between military and civilian health service. We hope that the passport:
- Improves communication with healthcare providers
- Creates personalised, holistic care
- Provides continuity of care
- Provides empowerment and advocacy
- Provides faster access to support services if appropriate and links with time in service
- Reduces misunderstandings or stigma
- Proves useful in emergencies
Pictured are the veterans that had an input into the design of the passports, Hannah Hall, Engagement and Inclusion Lead at TRFT and Lisa Wrigley, the new Armed Forces Officer at TRFT.
We would like to thank the staff at MCVC, Ian Jones and Christine Bradley, the veterans and Rotherham hospital staff for working with us on this project.
If you are a military veteran and would like a health passport, please contact Rotherham Hospital on 01709 820000 (Lisa Wrigley) or Healthwatch Rotherham on 01709 717130 or email info@healthwatchrotherham.org.uk
