Two new welfare officers have been recruited to Somerset hospitals to support armed forces personnel across Somerset.

Welfare officers Dave Cartwright and Holly Knight will be based at Musgrove Park Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital to provide welfare support to anyone with links to the armed forces.

The NHS Somerset Foundation Trust, which manages the hospitals, has partnered with the Defence Medical Welfare Service charity to provide the new support.

Dave Cartwright, who is now based at Musgrove hospital, served in the army for 20 years as a frontline medic and healthcare assistant. He said: “Whether the patient is still serving, has left the forces and is about to join ‘civvy street’, or is a veteran already living in our local communities, if they need to come into hospital, there are often lots of factors to consider that are linked to their military background.

"Many members of the armed forces, and their families, don’t realise that they have access to specialist support, which can help to get extra provisions in place. This could be adaptations to accommodation, interventions, or just a supportive and encouraging hand in taking the first steps to asking for help.”

The Soldiers Sailors, Families, and Airmen charity, SSAFA, says that members of the armed forces community can have a range of welfare needs, including dealing with addiction, relationship breakdown, debt, homelessness, post-traumatic stress, depression and disability.

The new initiative by NHS Somerset Foundation Trust will work to help the over 50,00 serving or retired military personnel or veterans currently living in Somerset.