Injured Armed Forces veterans will be guaranteed priority NHS care for life under new plans unveiled by ministers.
By Aislinn Laing
Published: 4:00PM GMT 11 Jan 2010
The initiative will start with a tailored healthcare plan drawn up before each serviceman or woman leaves the forces.
GPs and hospital staff will be reminded of their duty to provide priority care to those veterans and health authorities will be expected each to nominate a director to ensure they do.
Six pilot projects which saw NHS clinical psychologists appointed to work exclusively with veterans will be rolled out across the country, and six new mental health nurses from the military charity Combat Stress will be appointed in selected NHS trusts to link veterans with the right medical help.
The NHS will also match Defence Medical Services spending on prosthetic limbs for those veterans who need replacements in later life.