Julian has highlighted the important issue of the health of veterans in the House of Commons.
Following his meeting with the Royal British Legion in Skipton, he promised to raise their concerns about the application of the armed forces covenant.
He spoke about this issue, and praised the work of Royal British Legion Chair Alex Bentley, in Defence Questions in Parliament.
Mr Smith said:
“Alex Bentley, who chairs the Royal British Legion in Skipton and is the most incredible, passionate campaigner for our armed forces, has serious concerns about how the armed forces covenant is being applied by hospitals and local councils. Is there anything the Minister can do to champion the cause of this excellent Government scheme at local level?”
The Defence Minister, Dr Dan Poulter, said:
“Aside from the cash investment of £22 million directly into veterans’ services, we have made it a clear priority in the NHS mandate to make sure that the armed forces covenant becomes a reality in the NHS.
“We have now identified nine specialist prosthetic centres for veterans who have lost limbs and been injured in combat, and a massive amount of investment is going into services for veterans with mental health problems, including a 24-hour helpline.
“A lot of investment is being made at the national level and locally, and there will also shortly be dedicated resource for training local professionals on the ground”
