Eric Morecambe House care home awarded for continued commitment to veteran care

Eric Morecambe House care home in Morecambe has been awarded for its continued commitment to supporting veterans both within the home and across the local community.

Eric Morecambe House achieved Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) status in May 2024, recognising the home’s dedication to providing high-quality, person-centred care for members of the Armed Forces community. To achieve this status, care homes need to have met the VFF’s eight core standards. These include: noting Armed Forces status within care plans; addressing social isolation; and signposting to support services, such as their local Royal British Legion branch, and other charities that provide support for veterans or partners of veterans.

One year on from achieving VFF status, Eric Morecambe House has passed its one-year review. The achievement was marked with a celebratory event on Armed Forces Day. The event featured a buffet, live music, and a lively singalong, as residents proudly waved flags in honour of those who served in the armed forces.

Over the past year, Eric Morecambe House has demonstrated its dedication to the armed forces community through a range of activities, resulting in it passing the one-year review with flying colours. These have included regular coffee mornings for veterans and their families, a sponsored walk, and a series of events designed to bring people together. The home also participated in a seven-care home celebration on the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which brought together the wider care community to commemorate this significant milestone.

The aim of the VFF is to better support the practical, emotional and social needs of the Armed Forces community in residential care homes across England by providing training and resources to assess and improve the care they offer. It will help tackle loneliness and has the scope to deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes for the estimated 25,000 veterans living in care homes in England.

Stephanie Webster, Home Manager at Eric Morecambe House, said:

We are incredibly proud to have passed the VFF’s one-year review. Our veteran residents have given so much to our country, and it's our privilege to ensure they receive the specialised care and recognition they deserve. Over the past year, we’ve continued to build significant connections with the Armed Forces community, and this achievement reflects our team’s ongoing commitment to going above and beyond for those who served.

The VFF is a collaboration between Armed Forces charities, Royal Star & Garter and the Royal British Legion, and NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), with funding support from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

Kathryn Glass is the VFF Project Lead at Royal Star & Garter and responsible for supporting and assessing care homes going through the scheme. Kathryn said:

We’re delighted that Eric Morecambe House has once again demonstrated its commitment to veteran care. This is a great testament to their continuous improvement in the delivery of person-centred care for veteran residents and their partners.

The one-year review of Eric Morecambe House was of an exceptionally high standard and fully recognised the dedication, passion, and commitment the team has for providing high-quality person-centred care for residents, and colleagues alike, along with forging some really meaningful connections to the armed forces community and NHS services.

For more information about Eric Morecambe House, please click here.