BBK Manifesto 2026: Improve the care pathway from injury to medical discharge

Each year, about 2,000 service personnel leave the Armed Forces through medical discharge after suffering illness, injury or a mental health condition during their service.  

While many transition to civilian life successfully, too many encounter unnecessary barriers at a time when they are at their most vulnerable.  

According to a survey from Help for Heroes, more than 40 per cent of medically discharged veterans felt unprepared for life after service. Differences in access to medical treatment, inconsistent support during transition and gaps between military and civilian services can leave individuals facing uncertainty about their health, finances, housing and future employment.  

If the Armed Forces Covenant is to deliver on its promise that those who serve should face no disadvantage because of that service, we believe meaningful improvements are needed across the medical discharge pathway.  

As part of our Manifesto for Injured People, we therefore call for the following actions: 

1. Conduct a comprehensive review of the medical discharge process to ensure a consistent and equitable approach across all services, creating a level playing field for personnel facing medical discharge. 
2. Prioritise injured and ill personnel within military healthcare pathways to maximise their opportunity to become medically deployable within the prescribed timeframe. Where timely access to treatment is not available, extend the period before medical discharge to ensure individuals are not disadvantaged, in line with the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. 
3. Establish a ‘well’ discharge standard for all medically discharged personnel, ensuring they leave service with appropriate housing, financial security, ongoing healthcare provision, employment support where desired, and access to local peer and welfare support networks. 
4. Strengthen care pathways for personnel with complex needs by improving coordination between Defence and specialist veteran services, including Op RESTORE, Op VALOUR and Op COURAGE. Before the point of discharge there should be mandatory confirmation that all relevant referrals have been made and formally acknowledged by receiving services. 
5. Provide consistent and accessible guidance or signposting across all services on all post-discharge financial support, ensuring injured personnel understand and can access entitlements such as the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), civil claims advice, support with benefits applications, and the protection of compensation awards when claiming welfare benefits. 
6. Introduce transparent accountability and oversight mechanisms for the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring public authorities can demonstrate how Covenant commitments are being implemented. 

Those who are medically discharged have already made significant sacrifices in service to their country. Ensuring they receive timely treatment, robust support and a fair transition into civilian life is not only the right thing to do, but it is also a fundamental test of the Armed Forces Covenant in practice. By addressing these challenges, we can create a system that better supports health, recovery and wellbeing and ensures no one is disadvantaged because of their service. 

This blog is part of our 2026/27 Manifesto for Injured People. At Bolt Burdon Kemp, we support injured people not only by winning their cases but by driving positive change. Guided by our clients’ experiences and partnerships with charities across the UK, we are raising awareness of the changes needed to better support injured people. We will continue working with politicians from all parties to ensure injured people’s needs are not overlooked in Westminster or beyond. You can read our full manifesto here.