The NFF has collated comprehensive information and support for the physical health of Royal Navy personnel and their families. Information you can find here includes: accessing medical records, assisted conception services, the Royal Navy Recovery Pathway for wounded, injured, or sick personnel, and the Service Women’s Health Handbook.
1. Accessing Medical Records
The following information provides details about how to access your NHS Medical Records. If you are currently waiting for or undergoing treatment, taking regular prescription medications or are on a waiting list for a referral, and you are due to be moving soon, perhaps because of a Service posting, speak to your current GP, Consultant or healthcare provider and ask if they can provide you with a summary of your medical records which you can then pass to your new GP when you register. This may save time whilst they are waiting for your full medical records to be transferred.
There are two types of medical record you can ask to see:
- medical records held by a healthcare provider that has treated you;
- a summary care record (SCR) created by your GP.
Visit the NHS website to find out more.
Did you know that you can also register online with your GP surgery, in England, which will allow you to view a lot of your GP records, book appointments and request prescriptions?
You should contact your GP practice manager or hospital health records manager if you would like more information about how your records are stored.
NHS Wales in partnership with the Informatics Service is bringing in a number of ways to view records electronically while still ensuring information is safe and secure. You can also find out more how patient details are handled.
Health and medical records will be held about you at your GP surgery, or in a hospital if you have had any appointments or treatment there. You should be able to request to see your records, though there may be a cost.
2. Assisted Conception
Introduction
Details about the current Assisted Conception Services and Fertility Preservation procedures in place for serving personnel and their spouse/partners can be found in 2021DIN01-020, which was updated in February 2021. This DIN can be accessed via the MOD Intranet system and provides guidance for Armed Forces Personnel initiating, accessing and/or continuing Assisted Conception Services (ACS) or Fertility Preservation (FP). We would recommend that you read through this DIN before making any decisions or undertaking any medical treatment.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published fertility guidelines that make recommendations about who should have access to IVF treatment on the NHS in England and Wales.
If you are considering IVF, you may want to have a look at the NHS website and the Fertility Network UK as they provide a lot of useful information.
If you are considering assisted conception, or are currently going through the process, there is support available to you. The Defence Fertility Network is a group for UK Military individuals and couples to engage with others that have been on a fertility journey or are currently doing so. This isn’t a medical group and no official medical advice will be given. It is an opportunity for individuals and couples to recognise that they aren’t alone. The Group meets via a private Facebook group.
NHS trusts across England and Wales are working to provide the same levels of service. But the provision of IVF treatment varies across the country, and often depends on local CCG policies. In some cases, only 1 cycle of IVF may be routinely offered, instead of the 3 recommended by NICE.
Please note that there is a specific policy in place for members of the Armed Forces who wish to consider IVF treatment which only applies in England.
Eligible patients who are new referrals from 1st April 2017 may be offered up to three cycles of IVF/ICSI. For more information, please refer to the Fertility Network UK.
In November 2009 the Minister for Health & Social Care announced that patients who meet the access criteria, where the woman is aged less than 40, will be entitled to two NHS cycles of treatment. In 2013, in view of the NICE Guidance update for fertility services, the all Wales expert advisory group made recommendations that fertility services should be available up to a woman’s 43rd Birthday. For more information, please refer to the Fertility Network UK.
In Northern Ireland the Health and Social Care Board (HSC) are responsible for commissioning of fertility services. A motion calling for the HSC to provide three full cycles of treatment has been approved in principle, but in reality additional finance needs to be made available to make this happen, even in a phased approach. For more information, please refer to the Fertility Network UK.
3. Service Women’s Health Handbook
The handbook is for all Service Personnel, regardless of gender. It is for Servicewomen who are directly affected by female-specific health issues, for commanders and line managers who have a responsibility to enable their people to be their best, and for colleagues to better understand and support.
4. Staying Healthy
The NHS and Department of Health and Social care advise that eating healthily, doing more exercise, stopping smoking, drinking alcohol within safe limits and looking after your mental wellbeing will reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, breathing problems and mental illness. It will also increase your life expectancy, so now might be the time to do a personal stock take of your diet and physical activity. Are you eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. If not, here are some useful websites that can help.
Get Cycling
British Cycling want to encourage people of all ages to get on their bikes and discover the delights and health benefits of cycling.
Local Authorities
As part of their commitment to their local Armed Forces Covenant, many local authorities have chosen to offer discounts to Serving personnel, and their families in some areas, so that they can access fitness centres whilst they are at home and away from their unit fitness facilities.
NHS Live Well
NHS advice about healthy living, including eating a balanced diet, healthy weight, exercise, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol.
Northern Ireland
This website contains resources to help you incorporate enough activity into everyday life for better health.
Parent Club – Scotland
This website shows ways you can make changes to how you shop, cook and eat, to help you and your family eat better and feel better. It includes tips for fussy eaters, cook along videos, and recipes that you can save to your own account.
Royal Navy
Physical and mental fitness are at the heart of Royal Navy life, and NAVYfit is here to help you stay at the top of your game. Explore the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle, discover sporting opportunities, and find out how you can push yourself even further with Adventurous Training; all in one place.
Starting an exercise programme
The NHS has a great idea for different exercise programmes and some offer free podcasts and apps, plus advice for new runners.
5. Temporary GP Registration
For children at boarding school in the UK:
Most children who attend boarding school should be registered with a GP practice local to their school, but this will only usually cover them during term time. There is often a significant distance between the child’s school location and home, so the GP practice would not be able to cover emergency visits if they remain registered there.
If your child requires medical treatment while they are at home in the holidays, they can be registered as a temporary resident at your local GP practice. You can see a temporary GP for up to three months (if you require longer than this you will have to re-register with the practice). The temporary GP will pass on any treatment details to your child’s permanent GP to add to their medical records.
If you are living overseas, you should be able to register as a temporary resident if you need medical treatment whilst in the UK.
Register for temporary medical treatment in England
For NI: check with the local GP practice or medical centre
Register for temporary medical treatment in Scotland
Register for temporary medical treatment in Wales
6. Royal Navy Individual Recovery Pathway
Sometimes people in the Royal Navy get wounded, injured or become sick. If this happens, the Defence Recovery Pathway is there to help.
The ‘Recovery Pathway’ is designed to help someone return to work as quickly as possible, or to make sure they can access those key services and resources needed to work towards civilian life, if someone is not able to continue to serve in the RN.