Veterans’ care charity Royal Star & Garter welcomes the report issued by the Armed Forces Bill Select Committee on 29 April. The report supports the expansion of the Armed Forces Covenant’s duties to include social care. This will ensure that the Covenant is much more effective in addressing any disadvantages faced by the whole Armed Forces community in accessing the range of social care services.
The charity’s Chief Executive, Andy Cole OBE, previously submitted evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee. He commented:
“We would urge government to provide clear guidance and support on how care providers, commissioners and regulators can best deliver the expanded duty, so that it is fully understood and implemented. Within social care there are several steps in existing commissioning and regulatory processes that can be used, so that the lives of tens of thousands of veterans who access social care services are improved.”
Royal Star & Garter, in partnership with the Royal British Legion, has already evidenced the positive impact of targeted support for the Armed Forces community through the Veteran Friendly Framework programme, which helps care providers to improve their services for some of the 26,500 veterans living in care homes across England. Commitment to signing the Covenant is included within the standards of the Framework.
