Improving care and support for veterans in the criminal justice system

‘Healthcare for the Armed Forces community: a forward view’, sets out nine commitments to improve care and support for individuals during, leaving and after military Service. Commitment six focuses on ‘supporting veterans in the criminal justice system’, which includes developing a service model that meets the needs of veterans pre, during and post prison custody.  To help inform this work, NHS England undertook a programme of engagement last summer on a proposed service model to support these individuals. The proposed model of care set out intentions for a non-clinical service pre and post prison custody and a prison officer and healthcare staff training package during prison custody. Views were captured from veterans and their families with lived experience of the criminal justice system, as well as from individuals working in this area.

Findings from the engagement have informed the specification for this new service, which focuses on pre and post prison custody support and launches on 1 April 2023 launch.  Due to the engagement highlighting that in prison custody support for veterans required more than a training and education package, further evidence and information is being sought to inform appropriate arrangements within this setting for commissioning at a later point in time.  

The engagement report highlighted the importance of an appropriate name for this service. A series of focus groups will be held to seek views on what this should be.

There is one more focus group taking place on the evening of 28th February 6:30 to 7:30pm and a survey is still open for responses until the 6 March.

Individuals can register for the last focus group or to receive a survey here: https://forms.office.com/e/Mr98CjrnHp

The survey can also be accessed directly here: https://forms.office.com/e/M1DnvTxvAn

For any further information pklease [email protected]