Guidance

VAPC south east England: meeting minutes 13 May 2019

Updated 11 July 2023

Minutes of a meeting of the south east region Veterans and Pensions Advisory Committee held at Wavell Barracks, Aldershot at 11:00 on Monday 13 May 2019.

Present

Mrs Flick Drummond, Chairman (FD)
Mr David Anderson, Vice Chairman (DA)
Mr Piers Bateman (PB)
Mr Robin Draper (RD)
Mrs Joan Ferrer (JF)
Ms Kath Hutton (KH)
Mr Craig Jones (CJ)
Mr Paddy Nicoll (PN)
Mr Roger Nield (RN)
Mr Alexander Platts (AP)
Mr Chris Reynolds (CR)
Mrs Sonia Banks (SB)

In Attendance

Mr Kingsley Donaldson, Chairman VAPC (KD) (from 12pm)
Mr Dave Luscombe, Vets UK (DL)
Ms Mandy Gregory, Vets UK Welfare Officer (MG)

Apologies

Mr Soundararajan Jagdish (SJ)
Ms Karen McArthur (KMc)
Mr Andrew McHugh (AMc)
Mr Ken Newton (KN)
Mr Terry Roper (TR)
Mr Robert Rowntree (RR)
Mrs Alexander Sard (AS)
Ms Carron Snagge (KS)
Mr Ian Talbot (IT)
Mr John Williams (JW)

1. Apologies

Apologies from those listed above were noted.

2. Declaration of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

3. Minutes of last meeting

The minutes of the last meeting held 4 February 2019 were accepted as a true record of the meeting with an amendment to RD’S comment ‘that the principle of pensions was being disregarded by some Councils where housing was concerned’. Action: SB.

Decision

Subject to the amendment suggested by RD, the minutes were accepted and the meeting secretary would action accordingly.

4. Matters arising from last meeting

a. Housing: DA reported contact with Kent University; they are doing some work on methods of allocating housing in London. He considered that this work has the potential to provide a legal guide /aide memoir on legal position and best practice regarding the allocation of housing to veterans. He further reported that the Law School were interested in undertaking further work outside London, possibly Kent, and that he was due to meet them in June to discuss. It was also noted that COBSEO produce a good handbook on housing and that some of the Alms houses in Kent, which are available to ex-RN personnel, are not being used.

b. Champions: there is a need to refer to the Lead Officer within Councils to ensure consistency as champions change (as can be seen from the recent local elections). It is very difficult to locate champions within the councils. Forces Connect South East have an app, Forces Connect, which is helpful but depends on the information put on it. VAPCs have been asked to report back on this to the Veterans Minister. AMc was thanked for his work in this area. Action: DA.

c. RD reported that a Vets Forum is to be held on 13 September 2019 organised by Oxford. We need a template so that other forums around the region.

d. DL agreed to provide a list of Welfare Managers in each area to committee members. Action: DL.

5. Chairs’ Conference Update

a. The Centenary of VAPC is in 2021. This is being led by London and there are a number of ideas for events to celebrate what has been achieved. This will raise awareness of the work of VAPCs. It was decided that the SE region would support some of the London activities and have our own SE Forum where we can involve local people.

c. It was agreed to bring up the question of training for champions at the next meeting as an agenda item.

d. FD asked for any questions following her report on the Chair’s conference and any thoughts on the Handbook.

Action: SB

6. Vets UK

DL gave an update on what Vets UK are doing to help veterans and how they link in with the DWP. There is a concern about the time that claims are taking. This can be slowed by the response times from GPs and the fact that all the records are still in paper format. It is hoped that this will change with digitalisation. Action: DL.

Help with bereavement help is also readily available through the VWS alongside a benefit check, war pensions and housing needs are also undertaken. Next month, the Defence Transition Service will be introduced to work alongside all the services. It is a sign posting and guiding specialist service. The service is also available to Vets of 30 years after transition. There will be people in each region acting as the caseworker alongside VWS.

There has been a 25% uplift on the telephone service and a triage system operates in a crisis. Welfare needs are signposted and mental health issues assisted and directed to appropriate services.

Integrated personal care picks up the most seriously injured and assists on transition to the NHS. Only two people doing this at present. Currently there are 3 cases in the South with 1 round the clock care.

MG talked about her role as a VWS manager. This includes assisting with forms, the DWP etc. Her guidebook is 40 pages long. This can be very time consuming during the transfer of responsibility from Service to Civilian life. At the present time she has 113 cases on the books, ages ranging from 20 to 90 of which 60 people are still serving and 40 are veterans.

Signposting, assessing needs, form filling, chasing and processing claims is a major part of the role. The SE as a whole is dealing with 1500 cases, some of which are a year old. The average clearance is about 90 days depending on how many are appealed.. There is no digital information at present and an effective management system is needed to control the work load. It was considered that contracting out the system might help but it needs a good understanding of the business.

Concern was expressed at the failure of Vets UK to respond to the SEVAPC request in November 2018 for more detailed statistics on the time taken over WP, AFSC claims and the appeal processes and its apparent refusal to provide those statistics. Two examples were explained of the difficulties this produced for the more vulnerable veterans whose cases spread over five years each, before in one case both the Ombudsman and an Appeal Tribunal separately ruled in the veteran’s favour.

There was a discussion on what can VAPC do to improve/change the present situation? Action: KD.

6a. National Chair of VAPCs vision for the future

a. The new chairs of the regions are re-energising our work especially working closely with Vets UK.

b. Vets UK management of statistics is an issue but staff work hard. KD mentioned that in Ireland they have 60 cases with mental problems and are unable to obtain information. It would be help if Regional Statistics were available to evaluate the effectively of Vets UK.

d. The Complaints Commission is on occasion provided with inadequate information. By the time the complaint gets to the Appeal, three complaints can be involved on one case.

e. The workload needs to be managed, not necessarily run by statistics, so we must continue to ‘badger’ the Ministers. Our Veterans do not deserve such a shoddy outcome so quality testing is also required. KD agreed to write to the Minister suggesting that the current system is not working. Any criticism of Vets UK is our attempt to be helpful. KD trying to set a framework in order to expedite these cases and which includes best practice. Monitoring performance will throw up any problems that can then be addressed.

f. KD believes the Centenary celebrations are worth doing but some aspects that have been suggested are not appropriate. He would like to see every committee at the Arboretum and it will promote awareness so that veterans know we exist and get the help they need.

g. KD confirmed that he would complete his three year term of office and would not be seeking re-election. Action: DA.

7. Strategy and Action Plan 2018-21

a. DA reported that COBSEO is still being chased for statistics. A map of needs is being drawn up and all major charities have signed up to respond and we will be consulted on what we want.

b. To avoid duplication we need a coordinated system with an individual to lead on a particular issue. Medical and GPs: SJ, CJ, AMc, PN are working to see how GPs are supporting veterans especially on mental health conditions occurring in service.

Decisions

a. It was agreed that the various work streams would be coordinated as follows

• Medical: SJ, CJ, AMc PN (mental health)
• Service Champions: AMc
• Education: FD
• Justice: JF
• Housing: DA
• Casework/Welfare: KH

Action: DA

b. DA would produce a follow-up note on Strategy and Action Plan progress and way forward to circulate out of committee.

All committee members are urged to contribute information from their geographical areas.

8. Update from Members

FD emphasised the need that these reports must be with her before each meeting so that they can be sent out with the agenda. Reports (were circulated) from RAD, AMc, JF Forces Connect East.

9. Handbook

a. It was confirmed that everyone now has a copy. Action: FD.

b. Two dates had been suggested for the training but because the uptake had been so small another date has now been suggested, as sent to all members by FD since this meeting.

10. Any Other Business

a. FD reported that she now had received the majority of backgrounds of each member and asked the members for their approval that this information be shared amongst the Committee. The members agreed to this and copies will be sent out shortly.

b. CJ informed the meeting that the RBL/LBG Chapter are not quite ready for casework so are not seeing any gay veterans at present. These people need to understand they are welcome. Action: FD and SB.

c. CR is meeting the County Council tomorrow and was told they had no knowledge of VAPC.

11. Arrangements for next meeting

This will take place on Monday 22 July 2019 at Castaway House, Portsmouth, 311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth, PO2 8HB.

Minutes by Sonia Banks, secretary.