Stuart Anderson MP has called for a long-term funding settlement for an award-winning veteran's centre based at a nationally renowned, specialist orthopaedic hospital in Shropshire. The Veterans’ Orthopaedic Centre at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry has treated thousands of veterans from across the UK. Yet, a revised funding formula has resulted in a financial deficit for the highly successful service.
Stuart visited the centre on 20th February 2025, shortly after his own surgery to rectify complications from a historic gunshot wound that he had sustained in the Army some thirty years ago. A mix of bone fragment and shrapnel lodged in his foot made it increasingly difficult for him to walk.
On his visit to the centre, Stuart met with Lieutenant Colonel Carl Meyer OBE, who is director of the service which has cared for more than 35,0000 veterans since 2013. It is the largest provider of hospital-based care for veterans.
Although it is a national centre of excellence, the service is not nationally commissioned and receives no additional financial support from central government. It was set up to work within NHS funding arrangements, which enabled veterans from anywhere in England to be seen with the cost of treatment recouped from commissioners in their home region. Currently, 60% of workload is from outside Shropshire – with patient numbers increasing every year.
Recent changes to the funding formula affected referrals from outside an NHS Trust’s catchment area – resulting in the service being underpaid. The situation has resulted in delayed or withdrawn plans to recruit additional consultants and develop services – including outreach activities. Stuart has now written to Veterans Minister Alistair Carns, inviting him to visit the centre. Stuart has said he hopes an equitable solution can soon be found for this vital service.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"As a veteran, I am absolutely committed to making Shropshire the best place to be a veteran. There are 2.4 million veterans in Great Britain. South Shropshire alone is home to over 4,000 veterans, almost one in ten households. They have given so much in service of our country and should be provided with a gold standard of support. The Veterans’ Orthopaedic Centre in Shropshire is the first of its kind in the country, having already provided care to over 35,000 veterans. It helps veterans from not only the local area, including South Shropshire, but from across the country. Yet, the revised funding formula has stripped this service of vital funding. So, I have invited Veteran Minister Alistair Carns to visit the site. I am hopeful that a long-term funding settlement can be found to ensure a sustainable outcome for this crucial service."
