Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire is seeking to engage directly with veterans living or working in the area to better understand their experiences of accessing healthcare services, as well as their health needs and priorities. We want to hear from you about the support you receive from your GP, other local health and care services and community services.

By sharing your views, you will help us identify what is working well and where improvements may be needed. The feedback collected will be analysed and used to produce a report that we will share with local health and care providers, commissioners, and decision-makers. Our aim is to ensure that services are better informed and more responsive to the needs of the veteran community.

For the purposes of this survey, a veteran is defined as anyone who has served in the UK Armed Forces, including the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force (RAF), and Reserve Forces. This includes individuals of working age who are no longer in service. All responses will be treated confidentially, and no individuals will be identified in our reporting.

 

1. Have you previously served in the UK armed forces? *

 

2. How long did you serve? 

 

3. Are you currently employed, retired or seeking work? *

 

4. Are you currently registered with a GP surgery? *

 

5. Have you disclosed to your GP surgery that you are a veteran? *

 

6. When visiting your GP surgery, have you ever been asked if you are a veteran? *

 

7. Do you feel your GP practice understands and supports your specific needs as a veteran?

 

8. Have you experienced any challenges when trying to access healthcare services, e.g., appointments, referrals, mental health support? *

 

9. Are you aware that veterans may be eligible for priority treatment* within the NHS for injuries related to their time in the service?* (subject to clinical need). *

 

10. Has your GP ever referred you to veteran specific services where appropriate? For example, OpCourage, OpRestore, Veterans Trauma Network? *

 

11. Have you ever accessed veteran specific services? *

 

12. Do you feel your mental health needs are being adequately supported? *

 

13. Do you know if your GP Practice is accredited as ’veteran friendly’? *

 

14. Please state which GP surgery you are registered with *

 

15. Do you identify as having long term health conditions or disabilities? *

 

16. Have you been diagnosed with any long -term medical conditions that have had an impact on your health or well-being? (choose all that apply) *

 

17. What undiagnosed long term medical conditions affect your health? *

 

18. What other healthcare providers have you had contact with in the last two years (choose all that apply) *

 

19. In the past two years, which of these organisations have you been in touch with for support? (Choose all that apply) *

 

20. If you have ever received hospital care, was your military service flagged on your records? *

 

21. Are you aware of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Armed Forces Community Covenant? (the Community Covenant encourages the integration of Service life into civilian life and encourages members of the Armed Forces Community to help their local community) *

 

22. Have you accessed any community-based support services, e.g., Peer support groups, veteran hubs, housing or employment support? *

 

23. If you answered ‘yes’ to question 22, what difference, if any, have local veteran services made to your life?

 

24. What types of support or services would you like to see available for veterans in your local community? (please tick all that apply) *

 

25. What do you think would make it easier for veterans to access the support they need? *

 

26. Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences as a veteran accessing health and wellbeing services? *

 

27. Would you be interested in taking part in a focus group to share your experiences of accessing support as a veteran? *

 

28. If you answered ‘yes’ to question 27, please leave your contact details below so we can get in touch:

 

We are collecting personal information about you for the purpose of hearing about your views and experience of accessing healthcare services as a veteran. By filling in this survey you consent for the information in it to be stored securely by Healthwatch and used only for that purpose.

You do not have to take part and if you choose not to, there will be no impact on any services you receive.

Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire will store the information securely on our centralised database, and delete it after five years.

You have rights over your data, including to request to have it removed. To find out about these rights, please see our Privacy Statement.  *