26 November 2025

Our Trust has successfully been re-accredited as NHS Veteran Aware in recognition of our ongoing commitment to support the local armed forces community of 16,000, which includes over 7,200 veterans.

For the re-accreditation process we submitted over 500 pieces of evidence that demonstrates the developments and initiatives that have been embedded since it was originally accredited back in December 2022.

Steve Parker, the Trust’s Medical Director and Royal Navy Veteran said: “It is fantastic that the Trust has been re-accredited as Veteran Aware. The scheme means that veterans and their families, who often have specific health care needs, will receive the right support and appropriate care.”

Over the past three years we have undertaken several initiatives to improve the support available to the armed forces community, including:

  • Honouring veterans who die in hospital by draping an official military flag over their hospital bed as they are moved from the ward to the mortuary.
  • Hosting several open days including a cadets training day where all island cadets were invited to learn interview techniques, how to sell their transferrable skills, CV and personal statement writing, how to treat anaphylaxis and shock and how to perform CPR.
  • Successfully moving from Bronze to Gold accreditation in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. Other key developments include providing resource packs on every ward to further improve the care for veterans who may be admitted and establishing the poppy programme to help staff easily identify patients.

NHS Veteran Aware accreditation aims to ensure that patients from the Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged when accessing healthcare. Accredited trusts do this by developing, sharing and driving the implementation of best practice, at the same time aiming to raise standards for everyone accessing NHS trusts in England. Accreditation is overseen by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA).

Accreditation supports NHS trusts, and an increasing number of independent healthcare providers and hospices, to pay due regard to the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant, part of the Armed Forces Act (2021), is a promise by the nation to ensure that those who serve, or who have served, in the Armed Forces, and their families, are not disadvantaged when accessing healthcare.

VCHA Chair, Prof Tim Briggs CBE, said: “More and more NHS trusts are seeing the value of Veteran Aware accreditation as seen through the number of trusts that are now accredited. We have only four NHS trusts across England left to accredit, which is a testament both to the dedication of the VCHA team and to the wider NHS family who work tirelessly on behalf of the military community despite the many pressures they will be under. Well done all.”

Mandy Blackler, Trust Armed Forces Ambassador at Isle of Wight NHS Trust said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for the support we are providing to our island’s veteran community. As one of the island’s largest employers and only hospital, we are committed to enhancing the support that we provide to our armed forces community and will continue to strive for excellence to ensure they get the recognition and treatment they deserve.”