At Help for Heroes, we’re committed to providing holistic support that empowers veterans to live well after service. One of the teams at the heart of this mission is our Clinical Services team, who work tirelessly to break down barriers and ensure veterans receive the care they need. We spoke with Julie Thain-Smith, Clinical Services Lead, to learn more about the vital work her team does and how it’s making a difference every day.
Can you tell us a little about your team and what they do?
The UK wide community-based Clinical Services team comprises community nurses, Occupational Therapists and administrators. Together, we provide well-coordinated, evidence-based advice and guidance to help veterans make informed decisions about their healthcare support.
Using a “coaching for health” approach, we empower veterans to identify what matters to them. We help break down real or perceived barriers to accessing services so they can achieve their life goals, involving families and loved ones when appropriate.
What kind of support might your team provide? Does this involve multi-faceted care?
Absolutely. Our Clinical Services team contributes to the Help for Heroes holistic support offer, The Live Well strategy where physical health, mental health and social needs are considered together. These factors often interact and influence overall health and wellbeing.
This can include encouraging those we support to lead healthier lifestyles, improving their understanding of their health and helping veterans manage long-term conditions.
Our Help for Heroes nurses at Salisbury District Hospital and University Hospital Tees (James Cook) provide bedside support to the Armed Forces Community in their time of need, offering reassurance and guidance that patients may not have known was available. Our nurses work closely with hospital teams to enhance each patient’s care pathway, referring into the wider Help for Heroes services and other organisations if ongoing support is needed.
Our Occupational Therapists carry out holistic assessments that consider physical health, mental wellbeing, and environmental factors. This informs targeted, person-centred interventions that promote independence and support veterans to live well after Service. Occupational Therapists collaborate with other Help for Heroes Recovery Services, NHS and social care services, and voluntary sector partners to navigate occupational therapy pathways. Where needed, Occupational Therapists complete home assessments, recommend adaptations and support grant applications for equipment or aids not available through statutory provision.
Interventions may include sleep and pain management, fatigue support, sensory support, activity modification and building sustainable habits through goal setting. This is all delivered on a one-to-one basis or as part of our recovery courses
Have you seen the types of help our veterans need change in recent years?
Yes. Increasing NHS wait times across the UK mean our Clinical Services are more in demand than ever and those seeking support often have more complex healthcare needs.
In 2024/25 alone, 1,875 medical discharges occurred. That’s around 5 UK regular Armed Forces personnel being medically discharged every day. Our team understands what this means for each individual and their family and can offer tailored support wherever they live in the UK.
We also recognise the differences in healthcare delivery across the UK due to devolved government functions, which can create geographical inequities in access to healthcare. Occupational and functional needs are not always accounted for when prioritising healthcare delivery in some parts of the UK.
Additionally, knowledge of veterans’ issues and medical conditions is not widespread in the healthcare community. There are initiatives such as the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Veteran Friendly Accreditation and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance to help to improve this.
How do you see Help for Heroes’ support evolving in the years ahead?
We anticipate an increasing need for long-term, holistic support as veterans face more complex physical and mental health challenges. Our Live Well strategy and initiatives like Wait Well will become even more important to help veterans manage health and wellbeing while waiting for treatment.
Can you give us an outline of a typical day for one of your team members?
No two days are the same! Our team might be supporting someone in hospital, conducting a home assessment, liaising with NHS colleagues, or delivering a recovery course. Every day is about making a meaningful difference to veterans’ lives.
How do you think gifts in Wills might help our veterans in the long-term?
Legacy gifts enable Help for Heroes to provide ongoing recovery, rehabilitation, and mental health support to wounded, injured, and ill veterans not only today but for the years ahead. These gifts allow us to plan effectively, maintain specialised services, and support veterans and their families in building fulfilling lives beyond injury.
The dedication of Julie and her team ensures that veterans and their families receive the tailored support they deserve, today and for years to come. This work is only possible thanks to the generosity of our supporters. Gifts in Wills play a crucial role in sustaining these services, helping us plan for the future and provide life-changing care for generations of veterans. If you’d like to learn more about leaving a legacy gift, please email Legacies@helpforheroes.org.uk or call 01725 514965. Together, we can make sure no veteran is left behind.