Fountain Practice
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-01)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We Fountain Practice will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 Fountain Practice recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
We also pledge the following:

Promoting the Armed Forces: on social media, practice websites, email signatures and practice literature.

Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: enabling and supporting annual training commitments and encouraging colleagues to be a part of the Armed Forces Community whilst concurrently contributing to their primary care role. We will also support any future colleagues who take up roles in the Armed Forces or as a reservist in the same manner.

Communications, engagement and outreach: on social media, practice websites, email signatures and practice literature. Veteran status for patients is noted at registration to make practice staff aware and improve access to primary care services.

Health: By recognising our veteran community and our service personnel and military families we are able to prioritise their health and encourage optimal management of chronic conditions either as a result of active service or otherwise.

Housing: Through our social prescribing service we are able to provide a targeted intervention where required to assist service personnel and their extended communities to access support with accommodation issues

Education: We will seek to support military families in educational activities and again can use our social prescribing service to assist in this area. We also work with the 0-19 Child and Family Health Team to ensure that education is a priority for this community.

Civic responsibilities: We support anybody who wishes to take part in this valuable contribution either as active personnel or a reservist.

Any additional commitment the organisation wishes to make. As a medical organisation with a shared ethos and values, we recognise the importance of being part of a community and support network and embrace opportunities to incorporate military personnel and their families in-to our network and afford them the recognition, respect and support they deserve.

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.