Stevenson Welcomes More Help for Scotland's Veterans

Banffshire & Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the announcement that new advice and specialist information for healthcare workers and armed forces veterans will help to improve the care received by Scotland’s veterans. A new leaflet raising awareness for healthcare providers has been launched to help to ensure that health workers are able to identify veterans.

Making sure that veterans are known to health workers is an important part of ensuring that they are able to access specialist services through the NHS, including priority treatment for Service related conditions where needed.

Additionally a separate source of information, the veteran healthcare guide, which is available online, will offer advice on physical and mental recovery and information on specific health concerns directly to veterans.

Commenting on the news, Mr Stevenson said:

“It is important that we do everything we can to support our veterans. After everything they have given on our behalf, we have a duty to ensure that they have all the support and care that they may need.

“Ensuring that healthcare providers are fully aware of the support and priority treatment that is available to veterans will go a long way towards ensuring that as many veterans as possible are accessing the help they are entitled to.

“Making sure that veterans have access to all the information they need is an important part of making the readjustment back to civilian life.

“In many cases, that will involve providing information on specific health concerns or advice on mental and physical recovery. All that information is now brought together where it can easily be accessed online.

“This is a positive new source of advice for Scotland’s veteran community and a further demonstration of the Scottish Government’s determination to do all that it can to support our veterans.”