1. Career management tips for dual serving couples

• Engage with your Career Manager(s) early – this is key! Also checking BR 3 Chapter 58 Para 5807 sub section c.
• Read RNTM 01-089/23 Dual serving Parents Policy if applicable.
• Ensure your PStat Cat 1s or 5s (see below information form JSP 464) and employee preferences for assignments are appropriately recorded on JPA
• Keep your Career manager updated on your spouse/partner’s situation, when managed by different TLBs (DIN 2023DIN01-047)
• Be prepared to compromise
• Understand how other employment policies can complement your assignments, e.g. Alternative Working Arrangements, Flexible Service, Shared Parental Leave, Enhanced Leave, Wraparound Childcare, Career Intermissions, Remote Working, etc.
• Understand that at times the couple will have to decide whose career will ‘lead’ to gain co-location as career opportunities arise

2. Dual serving and long-term relationships

If you are a dual serving couple in a long-term relationship, it is important you formally establish your long-term relationship (LTR). To do this you need to complete and submit a form found in 2024DIN01-061 to you Unit Personnel Office along with the required documentary evidence of your relationship.

For dual serving couples living in SLA, it may be difficult to provide the requisite evidence. If you are unable to provide the specified evidence but you believe you can provide compelling alternative evidence to demonstrate your LTR, you need to submit casework providing alternative evidence and justification to your Unit Personnel Office.

We strongly advise individuals engage with their UPO at the earliest point in the process to clarify what evidence would be acceptable to support their casework.

3. Dual serving families and access to NHS services.

The issue of dual-serving parents being able to register their child with an NHS GP surgery was looked at, and resolved, by NHS England many years ago as part of the Armed Forces Covenant.  It is referenced on their website here and states:

Register your child at a GP

Parents must usually register their child at a GP surgery where at least one parent or carer is registered.

This is different for the armed forces community as you are allowed to register your child at a GP surgery if both parents are registered with Defence Medical Services (DMS) instead.

You may also be able to register your child with a DMS practice instead of an NHS GP if you are registered there too.

Primary Medical Care Policy and Guidance Manual (PGM)

4.12.5 The practice should seek assurance through:

Proof of identity and address for every child, supported by official documentation such as a birth certificate, (This helps to identify children who may have been trafficked or who are privately fostered.)

An adult with parental responsibility should normally be registered at the practice with the child (Footnote 9). The ID of the adult is essential as it can be matched to the birth certificate details. However, the practice should not refuse to register a child if there is no-one with parental responsibility who can register, as it is generally safer to register first and then seek advice from the Practice Child Safeguarding Lead, Health Visitor or Practice Manager. (This situation may alert you to a private fostering arrangement which constitutes a safeguarding concern).

NHS England » Primary medical services policy and guidance manual (PGM)

Footnote 9 to this section states:

There may be legitimate exceptions to this, such as where both parents are serving in the armed forces and are registered with an ‘armed forces’ GP or practical explanations, for example, parents wishing for their child to be registered with a practice closer to school.

Using the NHS App

The NHS APP is open to those who are:

• Aged 13 or over.
• Registered with an NHS GP surgery in England or the Isle of Man.

As Armed Forces Serving personnel are registered at a surgery provided by Defence Medical Service (DMS) they cannot currently use the NHS APP.

Parents, family members or carers can manage services for their children by switching their profile. This is also referred to as having a linked profile or having proxy access. This is set up by the GP Surgery where the parent and child are registered and therefore is not currently available to Serving Personnel as there are technical limitations regarding the connectivity / interaction with DMICP / MedIS.

NHS England continue to work with DMICP/Med IS digital programme to improve connectivity between the digital systems.