We’ve signed the Armed Forces Covenant

We’ve signed the Armed Forces Covenant

Today we’ve signed the Armed Forces Covenant at the head office of the veterans' mental health charity, Combat Stress. It means we’ll ensure that those who serve, or who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly and with respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives. 

The Covenant s of the Armed Forces community to have the same access to government and commercial services and products as any other citizen. The areas of it includes are: education and family wellbeing; having a home; starting a new career; access to healthcare; financial assistance; and discounted services. 

In g the Covenant, we’re agreeing to be an Armed Forces-friendly organisation, providing to anyone with a connection to the Armed Forces. We’re talking to the UK OTs for the Armed Forces Community about what this will look like. 

We all 407 local authorities in mainland Great Britain and four Northern Ireland councils in this pledge, alongside thousands of other organisations, including businesses and charities. 

Lucy Wray, an occupational therapist and lead for the UK OTs for the Armed Forces Community, commented:

As a community of practice, we are delighted RCOT is g the Armed Forces Covenant. It demonstrates RCOT's for the many siloed occupational therapists working in this space, patients, their families and occupational therapists who are themselves of the Armed Forces community.

Karin Orman, Director of Practice Innovation, attended the ceremony. She said: 

Thank you to everyone who has helped make this a reality, particularly the continuing hard work and ion of all those involved with the UK Occupational Therapists for the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the specific experiences and needs of those within the Armed Forces community, and hope that we’re demonstrating that today in g this Covenant. We hope that it will enable us to better our , their families, and people accessing services who have connections with the Armed Forces.

Chloe Mackay, CEO of Combat Stress, added: 

Occupational therapy plays a unique and vital role in the assessment, treatment and of serving personnel, veterans and their families. So we were delighted to host the Royal College of Occupational Therapists in g the Armed Forces Covenant to signify their commitment to recognising and addressing the needs of the Armed Forces community.