A PROJECT which aims to improve services for armed forces personnel living in the community has been launched.

The veterans project will engage with veterans and serving individuals and their families to get an understanding of their support needs.

Health chiefs said it will address levels of service provision and access to suitable health and social care after they said there is a ‘lack of provision’ for the armed forces community in Blackburn with Darwen.

The Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen (Bwd) project was launched on Monday and saw veterans meet at the organisation’s headquarters in King Street, Blackburn.

Mike Rutter, who has served in Afghanistan in the past and works for the welfare team of the Royal British Legion Manchester and Lancashire branch, said access to health and welfare services was ‘difficult’ for armed forces personnel.

He said: “It is very difficult for serving and ex-members of the armed forces to access health and welfare services across the board, especially in more deprived areas such as Lancashire.

“I’ve dealt with people who have had to wait months for a referral from a GP to be treated by the NHS, while we’re finding that armed forces personnel also have difficulty accessing the welfare system, a problem which has got worse since the roll-out of universal credit.

“It can be very difficult for armed forces members to go from working in a war zone to having to adapt to living and accessing services in the community, and this is what the project aims to address.”

A spokesman for Healthwatch Bwd said access to services will be examined, as it is recognised that veterans can be ‘socially isolated’, have a ‘poor understanding’ of the services available to them, or not access services at all.

The spokesman said: “The work will directly benefit the armed forces community by resulting in a number of recommendations to key commissioners and decision makers to better influence the way in which services are commissioned.

“By establishing activities in a variety of settings, the project will endeavour to engage with 100 people in veterans’ groups, to gather their views and better understand the armed forces community and signpost its members to relevant services.”

Healthwatch Bwd is currently recruiting volunteers who are either veterans, serving individuals, or their friends or family.

To help, contact Sharon Hardman, volunteer coordinator on 01254 296080.