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Getting the right healthcare in Civvy Street
For Armed Forces Week 2025 and ahead of Armed Forces Day this Saturday, 28 June, we're highlighting how you access healthcare from the NHS after leaving the Armed Forces.
We're committed to supporting the Armed Forces community. As an organisation, we're accredited as both NHS Veteran Aware and Silver, under the Armed Forces Covenant Employee Recognition Scheme.
When you leave the Armed Forces, the way you access healthcare changes, and t he NHS has many services which can help and support you. No more rocking up at the med centre at 0800!
If you need medical advice there are several options:
Your local pharmacy
Pharmacists are highly qualified experts in medication. Most pharmacies have private consultation areas where they can offer advice. Pharmacies can help you with a range of things, including:
- s upport with stopping smoking
- flu jabs
- advice on medication
- urinary tract infections
- infected bites
- earache, and
- sore throats.
If your pharmacist is unable to help you, they will tell you how and where to get the right support.
NHS 111
NHS 111 can support you if you think you need medical help but are unsure where to turn. You can use NHS 111 online by searching ‘NHS 111’ or you can call 111 from your phone. You’ ll be asked questions about the problem and either given advice immediately or receive a call back from a nurse or doctor.
Your GP surgery
As part of your resettlement you should have registered with a GP practice or, doctor’s surgery. If you haven’t done this already, do it now rather than wait until you are ill.
GP practices are staffed by a range of healthcare professionals who can help with a range of non urgent physical and mental health issues.
Top tip!
Tell your GP practice that you served in the UK Armed Forces so this can be noted on your medical record. Your service may impact your health, now or in the future, and your GP may be able to refer you to specialist services.
Urgent treatment centres (UTCs)
UTCs provide urgent medical attention for problems which are not life threatening. This may include:
- sprains, strains, cuts and grazes
- suspected broken limbs
- minor head injuries
- minor burns
- ear / throat infections
- eye problems.
You can find details of your local urgent treatment centre here, or by phoning 111.
Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
Op COURAGE is an NHS mental health specialist service designed to help serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists and Armed Forces veterans. Op COURAGE is supported by trained professionals who are from, or have experience of working with, the Armed Forces community.
Working together with Armed Forces charities, Op COURAGE will help you get the right type of specialist care and treatment to support your mental health .
To receive help and support from Op COURAGE, you must:
- live in England and have served in the UK Armed Forces for a full day
- be registered with a GP surgery in England, or
- be willing and eligible to register with a GP
- provide your military service number.
It doesn’ t matter how long ago you left the Armed Forces or how long you served for. You can also contact Op COURAGE if you're still serving but have a discharge date.
You can contact the service in many ways, including:
- directly getting in touch yourself, or through a family member or friend ,
- asking a GP or other healthcare representative to refer you, or
- asking a charity to refer you.
Op RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service
Op RESTORE is an NHS service providing specialist care and treatment to veterans, living in England, who have physical health problems as a result of their time in the Armed F orces. It doesn’t matter when you left the Armed Forces or when the problem first appeared.
Op RESTORE can support you by:
- providing personalised treatment within the NHS ,
- referring you to clinicians who understand the military environment and specialise in the type of physical health problems you have,
- helping families and carers of veterans to access appropriate support services, and
- working closely with charities.
A GP can refer you to Op RESTORE by emailing imperial.oprestore@nhs.net . You can be referred even if you were not medically discharged.
For more information on healthcare for the Armed Forces community, visit www.nhs.uk/armedforceshealth.
