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Health Secretary backs Military and Civilian Health Partnership Awards. 

Health Secretary Alex Neil has urged Scots to nominate innovators who have developed “outstanding” projects and initiatives which give the best of health and social care to the Armed Forces community.

Mr Neil was speaking in support of the Military and Civilian Health Partnership Awards, a UK-wide initiative to identify those who have made a difference to the health and wellbeing of Service personnel, their families and Service veterans. They could work for Defence Medical Services, the National Health Service, or the independent and voluntary sectors.

Nominations for the awards close on 27th July.

The Edinburgh-based veterans’ charity Veterans’ First Point (V1P) has won three Military and Civilian awards. In 2011 they received the Mental Health and Care of Veterans honours. In 2013 Dr Lucy Abraham, of V1P, was named Healthcare Civilian of the Year.

Mr Neil said:

“It is absolutely vital our military and civilian health professionals get the recognition they deserve for the outstanding work they do with Armed Forces personnel, their families and veterans. The Military And Civilian Health Partnership Awards provide us with an important opportunity to recognise and reward these achievements.

“Scotland has historically been well represented in regards to nominations, shortlisted entrants and category winners and, with just under three weeks to go, I hope this can be repeated across the 2014 awards.”

Charlie Allanson-Oddy, of V1P, said: “The Military and Civilian Awards that we received in 2011 and in 2013 mean a great deal for us all at V1P. They are a great acknowledgement of the work done since our opening in 2009. The provision of a one-stop-shop dealing with welfare, general wellbeing and mental health, and also peer support workers who have veteran or family service history experience themselves has guaranteed the credibility that veterans are looking for.

“We have been inspired by the criteria of The Military and Civilian Health Care Partnership Awards because they reflect some of the features of the veteran experience we succeed in helping with. We can always strive for further success and development of our service and these awards only increase our motivation.”

Notes To Editors

Details of the awards, including how to make a nomination, are available on the Military and Civilian Health Partnership Awards website at
www.militarycivilianhealthawards.org. 

Veterans First Point (V1P) has been developed by veterans for veterans and is staffed by veterans. Funded by the Scottish Government and NHS Lothian, it aims to provide a one-stop shop for veterans and their families living in Lothian. For more information visit:http://www.veteransfirstpoint.org.uk/AboutUs/Pages/default.aspx

More information
Neil Broadfoot
0131 244 6928/ 07815 703 581