Sevenoaks care home secures prestigious accreditation

 

A Sevenoaks care home has been recognised for its high standards of person-centred care for veterans.

Care UK’s Weald Heights, on Bourchier Close, has met the stringent standards required to gain ‘Veteran Friendly’ status.

The Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) is a collaboration between Armed Forces charities Royal Star & Garter and Royal British Legion, and NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), with funding support from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. 

To achieve their Veteran Friendly status, Weald Heights was required to meet eight standards. These included: noting Armed Forces status within care plans; addressing social isolation; and signposting to support services, such as their local Royal British Legion branch, and other charities that provide support for veterans or partners of veterans.  

This year, to mark Remembrance Day the home, residents enjoyed special live performance from the talented Kristy Smith, who sang war time classics.

Maria Covington, Home Manager at Weald Heights, said: “We’re so proud to have become a VFF-approved care home.

“We pride ourselves on being warm and inclusive to all and with so many veterans in our home, it was important for us to ensure we can provide the right environment for them to lead fulfilling lives. We’ve learnt so much in the process and have held several successful events for veterans in the community already – including our Veteran’s Café.

“The entire team has been working tirelessly to achieve the accreditation, and I’d like to say a big thank you to them all. We’re looking forward to welcoming more veterans from the community into our home!”

Kathryn Glass is the VFF Project Lead at Royal Star & Garter and responsible for supporting and assessing care homes going through the scheme. She said: “We’re delighted that Weald Heights has achieved VFF status. This is a great commitment to their continuous improvement in the delivery of person-centred care for veteran residents and their partners. This programme will benefit both current and future residents, along with current and future team members at Weald Heights, who are able to access enhanced training and guidance to better engage with the unique military experiences that their residents and partners have lived through. Being a VFF care home means that there is an increased understanding and recognition for the veteran community at Weald Heights.”