Duchess unveils Oswestry hospital's veterans centre
BBCA dedicated treatment centre for veterans, said to be the first of its kind in the UK, has been formally unveiled by royalty.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, officially opened the service at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, Shropshire.
The facility includes a therapy room as well as a dedicated hub to support veterans facing mental health issues.
It also supports those facing homelessness and debt.
The duchess met staff and patients during the visit.
The £6m Headley Court Veterans' Orthopaedic Centre was inspired by orthopaedic surgeon Lt Col Carl Meyer.
"For a number of years, we have talked about veterans being seen in an environment that brings comfort to them and by clinical teams that have an understanding of military personnel and their unique needs," he said.
"This is now reality, and it really does mark the beginning of a new era of bespoke care for our veteran patients and members of the armed forces."
The duchess, who is also Colonel in Chief of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, unveiled a plaque to mark the opening.
Veteran Jessica Wordsworth was discharged from the army after she fractured her femur and developed deep vein thrombosis.
"I think it's actually very important because when I left the military I didn't have this support system," she told the BBC.
"You feel like you don't have to hide anything when you come here. You can talk about anything and everything and feel like you've got the support system around you."
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