Armed Forces veterans to get new health passport
PATIENTS at a healthcare trust who are members of the Armed Forces community are welcoming a new veteran health passport designed to help identify and communicate their care needs.
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has developed the passport in partnership with Healthwatch Rotherham, the Defence Medical Welfare Service and members of the Military Community Veterans Centre to act as a “quick reference for healthcare professionals to help improve care.”
Similar to other health passports, the veteran health passport – available to download from the patient information section of the trust’s website – helps communicate a patient’s needs and avoid veterans having to repeat potentially difficult information.
It provides important details, such as their communication needs, triggers such as dates or sounds, and individual care needs.
One of the first patients to use it said: “I’ll be honest, going in for surgery had me nervous, but having that veteran passport made a difference.
“All my needs and triggers were right there for the team to read, so I didn’t have to keep repeating myself.
“It put my mind at rest knowing the staff understood what I was about, straight away.”
The passport was developed to support the trust’s Veteran Aware re-accreditation, which reflects a commitment to providing compassionate, personalised care to serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families.
Sally Kilgariff, TRFT chief operating officer, said: “The veteran health passport is an important step in our commitment to the armed forces community as a Veteran Aware Trust.
“It helps our colleagues quickly access information to provide better care, prevent triggers, and enhance the patient experience.”