VAPC south east England: meeting minutes 28 November 2022
Updated 11 July 2023
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Attendees:
Rob Nitsch (Chair, RN)
Graham Cable (GC)
Nick Berryman (NB)
Robin Draper (RD)
Simon Furlong (SFL)
Stephen James (SJ)
Craig Jones (CJ)
Carron Snagge (CS)
Debra Soper (DS)
Neil Strachan (NS)
Fiona Sweny (FS)
Ian Talbot (IT)
Invitees:
John Halliday (JH), (Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) London and Essex Armed Forces Champion Lead)
Apologies:
Ali Grant Steve Fradley Matt Hall Colin Howe Clive Hunt Patrick Lyster-Todd Keith Malcolm Andrew McHugh Ash Merry Kate Steels
1. Welcome
RN opened the meeting, welcomed all attendees and thanked NS for arranging the venue and catering.
In the interests of maximising time available, RN moved straight to the first agenda item and welcomed JH to take the floor.
2. Briefing on DWP support to veterans
JH provided a briefing on DWP support to veterans and their families, and the role and coverage of the DWP Armed Forces Champions in our region. The associated PowerPoint slides have been circulated among SEVAPC members separately.
Several members undertook to contact JH separately to exchange further information on matters of mutual interest.
RN thanked JH for his time and insightful and thought-provoking presentation.
3. Briefing on the LGBT Veterans Independent Review
CJ briefed the meeting on the progress of the LGBT Veterans Independent Review, which was in its final data gathering phase at the time of the meeting with significant numbers submitting evidence.
See LGBT Veterans Independant Review for more detail.
4. Sub committee (SC) updates
Finance and Debt:
- SFL indicated the SC was reassured that the Head of Veterans UK recognised the latter’s performance indicators were limited in their current form.
- It was noted the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme quinquennial review was ongoing and seems positive. There is a question as to how SEVAPC feeds into that, which will be picked up by the Chair. Afternote: RN has linked SFL in with the lead for all VAPCs.
Veterans and the Law:
It was noted that SSAFA sends representatives to every prison in our region and has contacts withing every police force.
Health and Wellbeing (H&W):
- It was noted OP COURAGE (under the NHS) is bringing together the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Liaison and Intervention Service (TILS) with the Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS) in England. This should provide for a far more streamlined service across those interventions, as well as an associated standardisation of messaging, which we can support.
5. VAPC strategy review
The overarching VAPC strategy is being reviewed, and GC is the representative on the working group for the SE.
6. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will aim for March 2023, and NS kindly offered to host at MOD Main Building again. The intended theme is a brief from the Armed Forces Covenant team as well as updates on routine business.