New programme launched for armed forces personnel seriously wounded in conflict

A new personalised care framework has been agreed between the Ministry of Defence and NHS England for the UK’s most seriously wounded Armed Forces personnel.

The new approach, known as Integrated Personal Commissioning for Veterans (IPC4V), will ensure individuals with very complex and enduring healthcare requirements transitioning out of the military into civilian life will continue to receive comprehensive support and are effectively cared for.

Jointly developed between the MOD, NHS England, service charities including Blesma, and local authorities, as well as with patients and their families, IPC4V will benefit a small number of Armed Forces personnel who have complex and enduring physical, neurological and mental health conditions resulting from injury that is attributable to Service and require 24 hour, one to one care from a trained individual.

Available across England at this time, IPC4V will provide a framework for effectively planning and delivering personalised care for the small number of Armed Forces personnel which will start approximately nine months before these individuals are due to leave the military.

As part of this, a range of organisations, including the MOD, Armed Forces charities, and health and social care charities will work together with the individual to develop a personalised care and support plan that meets their health and wellbeing needs. It will also give individuals more choice and control over how their care is provided and where appropriate this also includes the involvement of the individual’s family / carer.

The MOD will also provide extra funding for those individuals who meet the eligibility including the need for 24 hour, one to one care from a trained individual.

The life-long funding, which has currently been set at £24,000 per year, can be spent on personal care, equipment, housing adaptions, psychological therapies, additional speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, support technology and other health and wellbeing equipment and therapies which are above those already provided by statutory services to enable a better quality of life for this small number of individuals.

The benefits:
Individuals who are eligible to get care and support under the IPC4V framework are identified by medical staff whilst they are on the Defence Recovery Pathway. If eligible, they will benefit from the following:

• Personalised care and support planning starting before they have been discharged from the Armed Forces, drawing together the appropriate health and social care specialists, the MOD, local commissioners and military charities
• A single integrated personalised care and support plan for all their health and wellbeing needs, including the option of a personal budget, personal health budget or integrated personal budget for all or part of their care.
• Ongoing support to help ensure that they are an active participant in the planning and management of their own health and wellbeing, with outcomes and solutions having meaning and context within their life.
• A dedicated Veterans Welfare Manager, employed by the MOD who will be a central point of contact for the individual and all involved organisations. The Veterans Welfare Manager will provide a range of support, including ‘guided conversations’ to help the individual identify goals and actions and explore the management of their health and wellbeing within the context of their whole life and family situation.

Advice and Support
For advice and support on IPC4V please contact your local support officer.