To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the government have announced that armed forces veterans and their families will benefit from tailored healthcare, with NHS workers to undergo new, specialist training to meet the unique needs of veterans.

Backed by £1.8 million, this new training programme will support staff across the country in receiving dedicated training to help them identify and support patients with military backgrounds, as well as their families. GPs, doctors, and nursers will work with regional trainers to ensure this support is embedded into healthcare.

Key objectives of this programme include tackling health inequalities that affect veterans, increasing awareness of the unique characteristics of the Armed Forces community, and supporting NHS trusts to deliver care under the Armed Forces Covenant.

This is because many veterans struggle to navigate civilian healthcare systems, may not self-identify as veterans to NHS staff, and also can require specialist care for combat-related injuries, as well as mental health support conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

In April 2025, every NHS trust became ‘Veteran Aware’, which meant that they have been recognised for demonstrating understanding of military healthcare needs. The three-year training programme will follow on from this, and will be rolled out from October across England.

This is in addition to a previously-announced £50 million boost to ensure veterans have access to essential care and support under a veteran support system, VALOUR.