Army veteran thanks NHS for saving his life

An army veteran who was treated at Royal Stoke University Hospital has spoken of his admiration for the NHS. Rob Shenton was admitted to Royal Stoke University Hospital last summer after breaking his back in a cycling accident.

Rob said: “I fell off my push bike into a ditch one Saturday in August. Fortunately, a passing car called an ambulance and within 10 minutes I was being assessed. The day of the accident, I walked onto the ambulance with a broken back and then walked out of hospital two days later. Quite simply, the NHS saved my life. They are an amazing team who pull together when a person needs them most.  It truly is an amazing, five-star service.”

Rob, an army officer for 25 years, was relieved to be taken to Royal Stoke.

He said: “On my last visit I discovered that Royal Stoke is a ‘veterans aware’ hospital. In fact, twice on that visit I had been asked if I was a veteran and this made a real difference to me. When I left the military, I lost my identity. I was recognised and respected when in uniform but the sacrifice, hard work and effort went unnoticed as I blended into civilian life. For me this cut deeper than any knife. To simply be asked if I was a veteran made me feel special again.  Someone wanted to know, someone knew what it meant.

“I learned many lessons throughout my experience. Firstly, it’s important not to give up. When something like this happens you have to just accept it, complaining won’t help.  Sometimes you might need to put yourself first, so don’t be afraid to ask for things that you need. And just try your best to stay focused.”

Since leaving the army Rob has become a civil servant.  Having worked on the Invictus Games Trials in Sheffield, he was then seconded to the Cabinet Office to help establish the new Office for Veterans Affairs. He is also a civil service mental health champion and a Help for Heroes ambassador.  His unique experience and skillset has led him to become part of the NHS Public Patient Voice (PPV) for the Armed Forces forum.