Portsmouth's biggest GP practice offers support to hundreds of veterans

Portsdown Group Practice has six sites in the city, covering 10 postcodes, and looks after nearly 58,000 patients.

It has nearly 400 veterans registered as patients and is an accredited Veterans Friendly Practice, which means it employs a dedicated clinician who has a specialist knowledge of service related health conditions and veteran specific health services, to ensure that veterans get the best treatment possible.

As well as supporting its patients, the practice also employs veterans and their spouses, such as Dr Karen Kyd, the clinical veterans lead who is a military wife, and Ian Cummings, former Royal Navy CPO and Andy Pearce, former RAF Sgt.

Dr Kyd said: ‘We are acutely aware of the ethos, transferable skills and tangible benefits veterans can bring to our organisation.

‘We have had veterans as valuable members of our team for over 20 years. We are now signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant and the Veterans Aware status schemes, and looking to be part of the Forces Families Jobs programme.’

The trio spoke out to raise awareness of the support available, and to promote the Veterans Railcard scheme.

Dr Kyd said: ‘With regard to being a Veterans Friendly Practice, we have taken a holistic approach.

SEE ALSO: British military heroes to get cut-price rail travel as government admits delay in veteran ID card rollout

‘With nearly 400 veterans registered as patients with us, we are committed to ensuring veterans have all the support they need, and appreciate the somewhat bespoke nature of how their care may need to be managed.

‘We also provide help in sign-posting them to assistance available to them, recent examples being the Veterans Rail Card and the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, for certain government departments.

‘We will also be organising a number of internal events next year to support and raise awareness of veterans issues.

‘We liaise with a number of other agencies across the city, to optimise how we can best support our veterans.

‘The practice is proud to have within its team ex-military personnel from all three services in a number of clinical and non-clinical roles.’

The new Veterans Railcard is for anyone who has served at least one day in the UK Armed Forces or Merchant Marines and gives veterans a third off most rail fares to help reconnect them to loved ones and connect them to new training and work opportunities.

It was launched by the government in October, and started on November 5, in a bid to make the UK the best country in the world for veterans.

It will enable 830,000 people to benefit from discounted rail travel – costing just £21 for a one-year railcard or £61 for three years.

Go to veterans-railcard.co.uk to apply, before March 31.

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