Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed a new £5 million fund to pioneer healthcare treatments for veterans. It will support organisations looking to research and trial cutting-edge technology that can help veterans with complex healthcare needs. Organisations are being invited to apply for the funding to drive forward improvements by finding innovative surgical techniques, using data and technology to predict long-term health outcomes, and identifying solutions to current disparities in female veterans’ healthcare.
A veteran himself, Stuart has praised the investment. He said that it will level up support for veterans who may face unique health challenges due to their service that affect their ability to fully enjoy civilian life, including employment and leisure activities. In 1994, Stuart was faced with the prospect of having his foot amputated following injuries that he sustained in the Army. Weeks of surgery went better than expected and his foot was saved. Stuart said the funding has great potential to help wounded, injured or sick veterans rebuild their lives by pioneering treatments for the impact of pain, hearing loss, and visual impairment as well as mid traumatic brain injury, blast injuries, and mental health issues, such as PTDS.
The funding delivers on one of the key commitments in the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan published in January; to better meet veteran healthcare needs. Successful projects will enable better future commissioning of treatments that could be available on the NHS. As part of this commitment, the Government is also working with the NHS to deliver England’s first complete mental health care pathway for veterans – Op COURAGE. The bidding process is overseen by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), on behalf of the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) in the Cabinet Office. Applications are open until the 31st of August 2022. Details on how to apply for a portion of the fund can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-affairs-health-innovation-fund.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “From my own experience, I know that veterans can often face unique health challenges due to having served in highly dangerous environments around the world. The Veterans’ Health Innovation Fund will catalyse innovation in techniques that could transform the prospects of those who were injured while bravely serving our country for the better. It will help to ensure veterans who have suffered physical injury or mental health challenges during their service can access the most innovative treatments and get the support that they deserve to live independent, fulfilling civilian lives.”
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer MP said: “Our military veterans deserve the very best physical and mental healthcare available. That’s why it is right that we invest cash in exploring how the latest innovation and technology can be used to help deliver that. I want to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran. That means ensuring we do all we can to help ensure better health and employment outcomes for those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf.”
