A team supporting the Armed Forces community in hospital have been shortlisted for a national award.
The Veterans team at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT), who have so far supported more than 1,300 veterans since it was set up last year, are nominated in the Most Outstanding NHS/Healthcare category of the Services Awards.
The Awards celebrate the very best of the Armed Forces and Emergency Services. Winners will be announced at a glittering black-tie event on Wednesday, 28 June at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland.
Armed Forces Veteran Advocate
Support Officer, Shafiq Sadiq, who served for 22 years in the Army before joining the Trust said: “With my colleague Fiona Lamb, the Veterans team at ELHT are passionate about supporting members of the Armed Forces community who find themselves in our hospitals. We are genuinely delighted to be recognised at such a prestigious national event.
“Over the past year we’ve helped find accommodation for homeless veterans, found support for veterans in financial difficulty and worked with a vast network of charities and organisations to help support veterans in crisis. We have made it our mission to make sure they have the individualised patient-centred care they need to recover and thrive.
“East Lancashire has a long history of supporting its Armed Forces community and we’re extremely proud to be part of that.”
ELHT has previously gained the Trust Veteran Aware status and Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award. The Veterans team have also been finalists in the HSJ Awards and presented at the 2022 Veteran Healthcare Alliance National Symposium on best practice.