Scottish Government Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans Health Joint Group Implementation Group Minutes - January 2026

Attendees and apologies

• John Harden, National Clinical Lead for Quality and Safety, Scottish Government (Chair)
• Jo McBain, NHS Highland Armed Forces and Veterans Champion
• Martin Murphy, NHS NSS Champion Representative
• Sharon Callaghan, Operations Manager, Defence Primary Healthcare Scotland
• Robert Reid, Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS)
• Col Katherine Nicholson, Regional Clinical Director, Defence Primary Healthcare Scotland and Northern Ireland
• Martin Bell, Veterans Scotland – Health Representative
• Ian Cumming, Third Sector Representative: Erskine
• Dr Ian Thompson, GP Clinical Lead in Digital Health and Care, Scottish Government
• Gary Cocker, Armed Forces and Veterans Healthcare Policy Team, Scottish Government
• Stephanie Johnstone, Armed Forces and Veterans Healthcare Policy Team, Scottish Government
• Mark Fergusson, Survivor Support and Veterans Mental Health Team, Scottish Government
• Lindsey Restrick, Survivor Support and Veterans Mental Health Team, Scottish Government

Apologies

• Craig Murney, NHS NSS Armed Forces and Veterans Champion
• Claire Ritchie, NHS Lanarkshire Armed Forces and Veterans Champion
• David Miller, NHS Fife Armed Forces and Veterans Champion
   

Items and actions

Welcome and Introductions – Chair

John Harden welcomed attendees to the meeting and invited apologies from the group.

Roundtable Catch-Up

Members were invited to share current issues, challenges and positive developments.

Erskine (Ian Cumming)
The Forres centre now has 600 members, with increasingly complex welfare and health needs. A new Welfare Officer role has been created to provide direct support and casework capacity.

Chair (John Harden)
Welcomed the development of a welfare post, noting its importance in bridging health and social care gaps.

Veterans Friendly Framework (Ian Cumming)
Erskine has been approached by the Royal British Legion to partner on the Veterans Friendly Framework for care homes. He noted possible challenges due to devolved health and social care responsibilities in Scotland.

Veterans Scotland (Martin Bell)
Provided an update on Project Mercury with COSLA and work with local authority champions. Shared that anxiety surrounding VALOUR physical hubs has eased, with submissions under review and outcomes expected in mid-February.

DMWS (Bob Reid)
Shared positive progress linking Scottish Ambulance Service and Police Scotland crews into DMWS referral pathways, currently active in Lothian and Glasgow.

NHS Highland (Jo McBain)
Shared a positive example of the Covenant being applied to support a service person’s spouse to access surgery more quickly. 

Action:

Chair asked Jo to provide him with the ACE report on this for wider learning.

Veterans Scotland (Martin Bell)
Reported ongoing work on medical discharge issues, with findings expected end of February.

Care Home Funding Pressures (Ian Cumming)
Highlighted significant budget pressures in the social care system. Changes to Real Living Wage funding have resulted in a £19m shortfall, affecting care homes including Erskine.
Action: Gary to flag these concerns within SG social care channels.

DPHC (Sharon Callaghan)
Updated on screening connectivity work—progress slow but ongoing, now requiring Health Board permissions. Cross border referral work with SG is moving in the right direction.

Update on Implementation Group Priorities – Gary Cocker

General Practice Armed Forces & Veterans Recognition Scheme

•    Meeting with RCGP on accreditation postponed; rescheduling for early February.
•    53 practices are now registered.
•    NHS Inform will be updated with the new figures.
•    Work continues on scheme promotion, CPD accreditation and engagement with GP practices.

Covenant Standards Framework

•    A summary and feedback form have been circulated to Champions; responses are being reviewed.
•    Main document under development by Kari Magee, Margaret, and Stephanie.
•    Draft will come to the Implementation Group for comment in March with sign off planned by May, though timelines may shift due to purdah.
•    Publication expected summer 2026.

Veterans In Service Injury Network

•    First quarterly report received from NHS Highland.
•    Work ongoing with OP Restore to align reporting across UK services.
•    Gary presented early figures from September–November 2025.

GP Recognition Scheme Proposal (Martin Bell)

•    RCGP England previously funded a dedicated GP advocate; Martin proposed similar SG support.
•    Suggested communications improvements (Scotland specific materials, podcast involvement, conference presence).
•    Potential funding estimated at £20,000, with possible match funding via Forces In Mind Trust.
•    Proposed ambitious targets of 50–60% uptake if implemented.

Discussion

• Capacity pressures in primary care (Chair)
• Opportunities in social prescribing and third sector pathways (Ian Cumming, Ian Thompson)
• Opportunities to link with Veterans In Service Injury Network and mental health pathways (Jo McBain)
• Data potential from SHIP/Power BI for identifying veteran populations (Jo McBain)

Update on Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Pathway – Mark Fergusson

Advisory Group Activity

•    Met in September, October, and December.
•    Framework approved by Ministers in November; finalisation underway.

Short Life Working Groups (SLWGs)

•    Peer Support Specification – governance and training recommendations completed.
•    Performance Measures and Standards – finalised in September.
•    Digital Hub – final recommendations due 20 February.

Operational Working Group (OWG)

•    Paused over summer; reconvened in November to consider implementation of SLWG recommendations.
Pathway Development
•    Procurement engagement underway to scope support for regional spokes.
•    An RFI will test market capability and shape the forthcoming tender.
•    National standards are being drafted to set expectations for service providers and users.

Current Service Provision

•    Continued funding for Board run V1P services and Combat Stress support for non V1P Boards.
•    NHS Lothian progressing development of its bespoke veterans mental health service.
•    Pathway will launch phased throughout 2026 to minimise service disruption.

Legislative Update

•    Amendments to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme come into force in April, broadening who may provide mental health diagnoses.

Discussion

Jo McBain asked about phasing methodology.
Lindsey Restrick explained phasing remains under development and depends on procurement timelines, election context, and service readiness.

Any Other Business and Date of Next Meeting

John Harden announced he will be stepping down from the group and is in discussion with CMO and CNO regarding his replacement.

Date of the next meeting will be arranged by the secretariat.