Armed Forces Covenant
About Armed Forces Covenant
“The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation that the Armed Forces Community should be treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public and commercial services, with special provision made in appropriate cases for those who have sacrificed the most”
It covers serving members, veterans and their families.
Some organisations have signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge – to find out more information about supporting the covenant click the link: Supporting the Covenant
The Armed Forces Covenant Duty is a legal obligation on certain public bodies to pay due regard to the Covenant principles when exercising certain functions – UK Government Guidance can be found – here
Armed Forces Covenant
Our Commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant
We aim to:
- Identify and record our Armed Forces and Veterans community so that we can better support their needs and apply the Armed Forces Covenant more effectively.
- Deliver training and resources to our staff so that we can better understand the barriers and challenges that our Armed Forces and Veterans community may face when accessing education, healthcare or applying for housing, the unique needs they may have and the various options for additional support that may be available.
- Encourage greater communication with our Armed Forces and Veterans community so that we can better support them, their families and our staff to remove disadvantage and improve care.
- Work in close collaboration with NHS Highland, the local authority education, health and housing teams as well as the community planning partnerships so that we can holistically support our Armed Forces and Veterans community and deliver the Armed Forces Covenant Duty.
Education: If you’d like to find support for Armed Forces and Veteran community school children, students and families, please visit https://armedforcesfamilieshighland.wordpress.com/
Healthcare: If you’d like to find support for Armed Forces and Veteran community patients, please visit the Armed Forces and Veterans page on the NHS Highland website – www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/armed-forces-and-veterans/
Housing: If you’d like to find support for the Armed Forces and Veteran community, please visit – Armed Forces – housing options – Highland Council
Resources
MLG (Education) provides information, resources, news and updates to inform and support our Armed Forces families, educators, wider teams and organisations across Highland. As a partnership we also work collaboratively with Health and Housing.
Education, Health and Housing are inextricably interlinked and together strive to support the needs of our Armed Forces Families in Highland
During Armed Forces week a collaborative poster that promotes the offer of support within Highland across Education, Health and Housing was launched. This poster also sits within an online audio book aimed at HC Community Partnerships but helpful and informative to audiences beyond this. Thanks to Kari Magee, NHS Highland and Donna MacKenzie, Housing, Highland Council for working together with the MLG (Education) partnership to co-produce these resources.
Click the link below to access the poster and learning resource.
The Armed Forces Covenant: Education, Health & Housing Poster & online audio book
Forces Connect App
Scan the QR Code to download the Forces Connect app which contains an easy to use and comprehensive directory of valuable contacts and information, for those seeking help within the Armed Forces community.
Contact the Armed Forces Champions.
NHS Highland Champion – nhsh.armedforceschampion@nhs.scot
Highland Council Champion – leslie-anne.niven.cllr@highland.gov.uk