Guidance

VAPC south east England: meeting minutes 21 September 2020

Updated 11 July 2023

Present

• David Anderson (DA), Vice Chairman
• Graham Cable (GC), Secretary
• Robin Draper (RD)
• Joan Ferrer (JF)
• Kath Hutton (KH)
• Soundararajan Jagdish (SJ)
• Craig Jones (CJ)
• Patrick Lyster-Todd (PLT)
• Andrew McHugh (AMH)
• Paddy Nicoll (PN)
• Roger Nield (RN)
• Ian Talbot (IT)
• Carron Snagge (CS)
• Kate Steels (KS)

In attendance

• Rob Rowntree (RR)
• Deputy Head Veterans UK
• Emma Jones (EJ)
• Veterans Welfare Service Regional Manager

Apologies

• Alexandra Sard (AS)
• Alex Platts (AP)
• Dan Brooks (DB)

Welcome

DA thanked all for joining the meeting, particularly RR and EJ in their role as representatives of Veterans UK and Veterans Welfare Service respectively. He also informed the meeting that he had formally resigned as Acting Chair in a letter to the Minister for Defence People and Veterans, and explained his reasoning.

Apologies

Apologies were noted.

Introductions

As the new Chairperson’s appointment was not yet confirmed, DA noted that no new members were attending and/or able to be introduced.

Declarations of interest

None.

Minutes of last meeting

The minutes from the last meeting were approved and GC undertook to arrange for them to be published by MOD [Sec note: now published].

Matters arising

Centenary celebrations are still under consideration – DA will talk to new Chair when appointed.

Secretary has been appointed.

Contact details list has been updated and circulated to members, WhatsApp group established.

DA thanked AMH for contact details and said that a new Armed Forces Champion has been appointed for Bucks, whose help had been requested to find people to apply for membership of the SEVAPC.

Feedback from Chairs’ conference call held on 9 September

Not much has changed in terms of communications (comms), but VAPCs are encouraged to use the VAPC fora on the ‘Hub’, hosted by the Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre (Sec note: requires login via www.vfrhub.com to access above link. GC will send details to PLT).

Engagement with HMG’s Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) continues. However OVA has announced (and is pursuing) a raft of new initiatives such as extra funding for (and improved coordination of) Service charities, and the creation of a Veterans Advisory Board to hold ministers to account. No detail as to composition of the latter is available, but RD asked if we would see details, and DA undertook to pass them on if/when available). The OVA key events for September will be ‘Black Veterans’ and ‘Suicide’ days and October will see the start of the Civil Service Interviews for Vets pilot initiative the Vets Strategy Group.

A presentation was given on the NHS England Armed Forces Public Patient Voice Group (CJ added that its development had been slowed by COVID, but asked members to feed in experiences of veteran engagement with NHS to him for upward dissemination).

Veterans UK update

RR provided an update, main points being:

• Claims processing facility approaching full staffing (after being affected and slowed by COVID impact)

• Development of digital identification to assist and legitimise veteran status and claims processing ongoing, although some aspects might be dependent on wider governmental digital and Defence and Security review work

• OVA Director role (currently filled on interim basis) has now been advertised (via open competition); look forward to working with OVA (and other organisations) to further develop ‘Strategy For Our Veterans’ and its delivery (particularly given impact of COVID), but also aware of need to respect and clarify each organisations’ independence and role. Much casework going direct to OVA is passed back to Vets UK, which might need additional resources to action

• Various Committee members raised concerns that recruitment for positions in OVA and Veterans Advisory Board appeared opaque and potentially lacking in diversity and representation from the ‘bottom up’; RR undertook to represent these concerns

• DA thanked RR for his time and input.

Veterans Welfare service update

DA pleased to welcome EJ; latter presented her background and route to VWS regional management from Nov 19 in acting role, confirmed since end May 20.

EJ provided an update, main points being:

• Backlog of cases due to COVID now cleared using video tribunals

• Welfare engagement still limited by lack of face-to-face (F2F) work, but processes developing and working (e.g. development of protocols to take case files away for home working)

• New medical evidence gathering protocols introduced in Jul, and VWS now assisting claimants complete paperwork by phone, visiting F2F only if deemed a critical need, risk assessed and staff are willing. AMH queried whether claimants had to pay GPs direct for form completion; EJ confirmed costs covered, but will check whether GPs can invoice VWS direct, and claimant must pay upfront and repay. RD requested forms to look at, EJ undertook took to investigate. SJ asked if claimants have any warning of forms’ arrival (as could be daunting given breadth and detail); EJ responded no, and that this point had been raised as it could cause distress and concern

• EJ reported 6 staff members short in Region. Recruitment in train, but could be next year before recruits in place. RD congratulated EJ on coping with such reduced staffing

• Calls to support line low, but email enquiries up

• SJ asked if VWS felt adequately supported, particularly given need for lengthy phone calls to potentially distressed veterans with complex needs. EJ confirmed that support is available, but that the pressure remains a concern and continues to be a focus of efforts

• RD asked if VWS had called on DTS [Defence Transition Services]; EJ responded that VWS were covering, but this would be unsustainable in long term. AMH suggested it’d be useful for Committee to receive overview of number and disposition of cases, as well as where they are in process. EJ undertook to look at this, reminding Committee that some cases can take 12-14 months to resolve when complicated. AMH asked EJ to pass on thanks to colleagues for their commitment and efforts

• KH remarked that PTSD requires formal diagnosis by psychiatrist in order to be eligible for a AFCS/WP claim, which costs up to £400 and asked EJ how claimants are getting these diagnoses. EJ responded that NHS diagnoses (free) are accepted, to which KH responded that NHS are referring to private providers (implying cost). EJ is not aware of this, but will follow up

• DA thanked EJ for her input.

Training work stream

DA asked Committee what they considered to be key training requirements.

GC suggested induction training, as he was new and there was no other Kent representative among Committee members from whom to learn. Discussion on value of visiting Norcross ensued, which, in light of recent restrictions, ended with a sense that online briefs were sufficient in terms of Norcross’ work, perhaps in the form of an aide memoire. The gov.uk website — and specifically the pensions and compensation section — was also suggested as a useful resource by PLT.

Co-opting a member of the Forces Pension Society was also suggested by SJ, which DA said could be considered, although there might be political concerns. Contacting local Armed Forces Champions [AFCs] was also mentioned by PN, which GC said he would do in the case of Kent. This provoked a discussion of members identify who they are, to which RN and AMH replied they might have contact details and will share (latter indicated collaborating with SERFCA [South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association] and 11 Infantry Brigade/HQ SE should be helpful in this respect).

DA mentioned that the wider VAPC are working on establishing a list of AFCs, but the new Chair ought to engage with all these organisations [Sec note: contact details for 11 Bde were circulated post hoc]. CS mentioned AFC chairs Civil-Military Partnership on IOW, but acknowledged this could differ elsewhere. KS reminded all that work is ongoing to pass Armed Forces Covenant into legislation (which should help pinpoint AFCs and focus minds). AMH said he would circulate a doc in this regard, and focused on housing issues, requesting all to feedback as appropriate [Sec note: this was done by AMH]

RD mentioned he had written to DA with ideas concerning professionalisation of training, to which he had replied he had been asked to push the agenda on this nationally and considered it was for the VAPC chairs to set training needs and the Civil Service trainers to deliver.

Health work stream

KH reported there was nothing much to update given the current situation. CJ indicated that a research partner for NHS England inquiry into LGBTQ+ veteran health was about to be appointed. It was indicated that ASDIC [Association of ex-Service Drop-In Centres] would be happy to help with this.

Welfare and Casework work stream

As above, IT indicated current situation had slowed progress, but all members would be contacted for feedback on ‘ground’ truth.

Communication work streams

PLT reported that the cohesive pan VAPCs comms strategy development was in progress, aimed at bolstering collaboration, coordination and outreach. A draft is to be endorsed by Chairs in Nov hopefully, but is also subject to future VAPC direction decisions

PLT also raised issue of internal comms and cloud-based doc storage, and while the WhatsApp group had been established, there was a need for a broader approach. A discussion about the efficacy of the current vrfhub private forum ensued, to which GC (as an employee of the hosts) indicated that the area was meant as a stop gap while governmental sites were established (could be a lengthy development process) and was to be ‘modernised’ itself eventually. GC also mentioned there was a Google-based doc storage area, and would send details to PLT so that members could be guided in the use of both as appropriate.

Issues on ground

DA began discussion by asking how such issues ought to be identified

RN suggested ASDIC could help, to which KH indicated that local veterans’ drop-in centre issues were being fed up to Portsmouth CC, but what happened from there was not known. RN said he would look at this, and DA suggested we should gather info and pass up to Veterans UK. RD suggested we could also use info from VWS caseworkers, while JF indicated she could provide CJS involvement issues.

AOB

None.

Date of next meeting

TBC by new Chair.

DA thanked all for attendance at this meeting and for work over the last period.