Prestwick Care Homes Recognised for Supporting Veterans with Veteran Friendly Status
At Prestwick Care, we believe every resident deserves care that recognises and celebrates their life story. That’s why we’re incredibly proud to announce that two of our homes have achieved Veteran Friendly status, recognising our commitment to providing exceptional care and support for those who have served in the Armed Forces.
Brunswick House in Gosforth and Bede House in Sunderland have both been awarded Veteran Friendly status through the Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) – a national initiative that helps care homes better understand and support the unique experiences and needs of veterans.
Honouring Those Who Have Served
For many veterans, military service forms an important part of their identity. By becoming Veteran Friendly, our homes are better equipped to recognise that service, helping residents feel understood, respected and valued while ensuring they receive personalised care that reflects their individual experiences.
The Veteran Friendly Framework is a collaboration between Royal Star & Garter, the Royal British Legion and NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), supported by funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
The programme aims to improve the lives of the thousands of veterans living in care homes across England by providing specialist training, guidance and resources for care teams.
Achieving Veteran Friendly Status
To receive the award, Brunswick House and Bede House successfully met eight key standards designed to enhance support for veteran residents and their families.
These include:
- Recognising Armed Forces service within residents’ care plans.
- Understanding the impact military experiences may have on later life.
- Reducing social isolation by helping veterans connect with support networks.
- Signposting residents and their loved ones to organisations such as the Royal British Legion and other Armed Forces charities.
These measures help ensure veterans receive not only outstanding clinical and residential care, but also emotional, social and practical support that reflects their unique experiences.
A Commitment to Outstanding Person-Centred Care
Prestwick Care CEO Bunty Malhotra welcomed the recognition, saying:
“Those who served in the Armed Forces have done so much for our country, so it’s only right that they should spend their later years in places that respect their achievements.
“And that they are given a standard of care and support that reflects our gratitude for all they have done for us.”
Kathryn Glass, VFF Project Lead at Royal Star & Garter, also praised the achievement:
“We’re delighted that Brunswick House and Bede House have achieved VFF status.
“This is a great commitment to their continuous improvement in the delivery of person-centred care for veteran residents and their partners.
“This programme will benefit both current and future residents, along with current and future staff, who are able to access enhanced training and guidance to better engage with the unique military experiences that their residents and partners have lived through.”
Looking Ahead To The Future
This achievement marks another important step in Prestwick Care’s commitment to delivering compassionate, person-centred care that celebrates every resident’s life journey.
We’re pleased to share that other homes across the Prestwick Care family are already working towards achieving Veteran Friendly status, ensuring even more veterans can benefit from this enhanced level of understanding and support in the years ahead.
We would like to thank everyone involved in helping Brunswick House and Bede House achieve this important recognition, and we remain committed to honouring those who have served our country with the care, dignity and respect they deserve.