The Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) continues to set the national standard for inclusive healthcare across the NHS for the Armed Forces community. Through its NHS Veteran Aware accreditation programme, VCHA supports organisations to embed the Armed Forces Covenant into everyday care and employment practice.
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, an NHS Veteran Aware accredited organisation, has translated this framework into real-world impact, winning the Military and Civilian Health Partnership Award at the HSJ Awards 2025. Selected from over 1,250 national entries, the trust was recognised for embedding inclusive care across acute and community services, developing a strong Armed Forces Champions network, and delivering measurable improvements in patient experience and staff confidence.
To understand how national standards, regional support, and local leadership come together in practice, we sat down with Sarah Feather, the trust’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead for workforce to discuss their NHS Veteran Aware journey.
How has achieving NHS Veteran Aware accreditation changed the way East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust identifies, supports, and delivers personalised care to veterans, serving personnel, and their families across services?
Achieving NHS Veteran Aware accreditation has helped East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust strengthen how we support the Armed Forces community from Board to Ward — not only as patients, but also as colleagues.
We began by reaching out across the trust and inviting colleagues to come forward and support the work. The response was immediate, with over 25 people volunteering to form a steering group. Their commitment, insight and lived experience helped shape the programme from the outset and ensured it reflected real needs rather than assumptions.
For patients, this has meant more confident and compassionate conversations about military service and how it may affect health, wellbeing or family life. This has also helped improve continuity of care for members of the Armed Forces community who move frequently or transition between areas. Staff are more aware of the importance of timely handovers and reducing delays when people relocate, helping ensure access to care feels smoother and more joined-up.
For our colleagues, particularly veterans and reservists, it has reinforced our commitment to being a veteran-friendly employer, with greater understanding, flexibility and open dialogue.
This work is further strengthened by the Trust achieving the Gold Employer Recognition Scheme Award, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, following our Bronze award in February 2024 and progression to Gold in September 2025. This reflects our long-term commitment to supporting veterans, reservists and Armed Forces families, and reinforces our role as a trusted, veteran-friendly employer alongside the care we provide to patients.
We also learned early on that we couldn’t do this in isolation. Networking with other trusts already on their Veteran Aware journey was invaluable, and their advice and shared learning helped shape an approach that felt practical, sustainable and right for our organisation.
Overall, the programme has helped create a culture where members of the Armed Forces community feel recognised and supported. Whether they are receiving care, delivering it or living it.
What measurable impacts has the Veteran Aware programme had on patient experience, access to support, and staff confidence since its launch in September 2023?
Since launching the programme in September 2023, we have seen positive and tangible impact rooted in that early engagement and shared learning.
Patients benefit from staff feeling more confident in recognising when military service may be relevant and knowing where to seek advice or signposting. Armed Forces Champions, many of whom were part of the original steering group, support colleagues by sharing practical guidance and helping connect patients with appropriate NHS services and military charities. This has included supporting faster access to care where individuals have moved across the country, with staff better able to navigate systems and avoid unnecessary delays in treatment or referrals. Patient feedback highlights feeling listened to and understood.
For colleagues, particularly veterans and reservists, the impact has been significant. Colleagues report feeling more supported to talk openly about service commitments, with managers offering flexibility and understanding. Staff confidence has grown not only through training, but through seeing consistent messages and behaviours modelled across the organisation.
The combination of staff-led design, partnership working and visible leadership support has helped turn awareness into real-world impact.
In what ways has the trust’s whole-system approach—such as staff training, Armed Forces Champions, and digital identification—helped embed veteran-inclusive care into everyday clinical practice?
Our whole-system approach has helped ensure being Veteran Aware is embedded into everyday practice rather than sitting as a standalone initiative.
The steering group played a key role in shaping training and engagement activity, ensuring it felt relevant and grounded in lived experience. Training has increased understanding of military culture, reservist responsibilities and the potential impacts of service, helping staff feel confident in having thoughtful, informed conversations.
Armed Forces Champions, act as approachable, visible points of contact across services. They support clinicians, managers and teams with advice, reassurance and signposting, helping translate strategic intent into day-to-day practice.
Learning from other trusts further strengthened this approach, allowing us to build on what already worked elsewhere while adapting it to our local context.
How has NHS Veteran Aware accreditation strengthened partnerships with the Ministry of Defence, military charities, and regional networks, and what benefits has this brought to both patients and the wider healthcare system?
NHS Veteran Aware accreditation has strengthened partnerships locally, regionally and nationally, reinforcing a collaborative approach.
From the outset, we recognised the value of learning from others and building strong networks. Connections with other NHS trusts, our regional Armed Forces network, local reservist units and military charities have helped us develop clearer routes for advice, collaboration and support. These relationships are particularly valuable for people moving between regions, helping ensure care is not disrupted and that support continues seamlessly wherever they are based. We also wouldn’t be where we are without the support of Mandy Stokes, our VCHA regional lead.
Working closely with the MOD through the Employer Recognition Scheme and achieving Gold status has helped embed sustained, practical support for reservists and veterans across the Trust. This partnership has strengthened understanding on both sides and ensured our policies, practices and culture genuinely support Armed Forces colleagues throughout their employment.
These partnerships benefit patients by improving access to specialist and community-based support, and they also provide reassurance and guidance for staff
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust’s experience shows how the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance enables organisations to move from commitment to consistent delivery. By combining national leadership with local ownership, VCHA continues to set the benchmark for veteran-inclusive healthcare — strengthening outcomes for patients, staff, and the wider NHS.
Prof Tim Briggs CBE, VCHA Chair and National Lead, said: “We are incredibly proud of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust for demonstrating how inclusive care can be embedded across an entire organisation. Their leadership, innovation, and dedication show the true impact of the NHS Veteran Aware programme. This recognition highlights what’s possible when national frameworks meet local commitment.
Mandy Stokes, VCHA Regional Lead (South), said: “I’m thrilled at the news that East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust have won the Military and Civilian Health Partnership HSJ Award. The trust were accredited as Veteran Aware in March 2024, demonstrating that they are committed to recognising and understanding the needs of the armed forces community, both for patients and staff. By asking the question of Armed Forces status, it enables more personalised care, offering appropriate support and making a real difference to a patient’s experience at a time when they may feel at their most vulnerable. The trust have since undergone a Veteran Aware 1 Year Review, providing assurance that the trust is making continuous quality improvement in the service provided to this community. Many congratulations in receiving the HSJ Award, very well deserved.”
Steve Aumayer, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief People Officer at ESHT, said: “This is an incredible honour. To be recognised among such outstanding competition is truly humbling. Winning an HSJ Award sends positive ‘ripples’ throughout our organisation and, we hope, will inspire colleagues across the sector to share their own innovative work.
This recognition also affirms our Veteran Aware commitment — ensuring that veterans, reservists, serving personnel and their families are recognised, understood and supported both as patients and as colleagues. It validates our team’s dedication and gives us renewed motivation to continue striving for excellence in patient care while looking after our people.
We’re grateful to the HSJ Awards for providing a platform to celebrate meaningful, values-led improvements in healthcare delivery.”
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust — VCHA in Action
HSJ Awards 2025: Military and Civilian Health Partnership Winner
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust was named winner of the Military and Civilian Health Partnership Award at the HSJ Awards 2025.
The trust was recognised for embedding veteran inclusive care across acute and community services, developing a strong Armed Forces Champions network, and delivering measurable improvements in patient experience and staff confidence.
The judges praised the project:
“This outstanding project delivered measurable clinical impact and genuine system change, with strong leadership engagement, clear outcomes, effective EDI feedback loops, and impressive cultural transformation spreading improvements from board to ward and beyond.”
The award highlights how VCHA accreditation, regional support, and local leadership work together to translate national frameworks into sustainable, frontline impact — setting East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust as a national exemplar for inclusive healthcare.
To access information on support available to the Armed Forces community, click here.
If you have a story to share or any story suggestions, we’d love to hear from you – submit yours and be part of this growing collection of voices celebrating the Armed Forces community. Email us at rnoh.vcha@nhs.net.
