A PIONEERING service has given a 86-year-old Army veteran back the independence he lost when he had a stroke.

Atherton's Joseph Gillespie, who was in the Royal Artillery from 1948 to 1950, is among the numerous people to have benefitted from the Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS) since it was introduced at Wigan's Royal Albert Edward Infirmary a year ago.

It offers emotional and practical support to armed forces veterans, serving personnel and reservists of all ages – and their immediate families – who are admitted to hospital.

Joseph accessed the service in April after moving back to the area from Wales to be closer to his family following his stroke.

He moved in with his daughter Lisa while he waited for housing adequate for his needs from Wigan and Leigh Homes.

The housing association told him about DMWS and he has since benefited from befriending schemes and a range of recovery support.

Joseph was given a single bed to use in Lisa's home, access to a respite service he describes as being ‘like a five-star hotel’ and an application for a bungalow suitable for his needs was fast-tracked.

Now living in the bungalow, Joseph said: “Even six months after being discharged from hospital, I can still access the DMWS and the officer who helped me still checks in on a regular basis.

“Thanks to him and the service overall I am able to go on trips with other veterans plus much more.

"It also means a lot to me that my family got the help they needed to look after me following the stroke.

“Technically I was homeless when I moved back to the borough, so to have my application for a bungalow considered as soon as possible because of my background in the forces was a weight off our shoulders.”

His granddaughter Holly Moreland, 30, from Atherton, has also expressed her appreciation for the service, describing it as 'relieving of daily stresses' and 'invaluable'.

DMWS has directly supported more than 45 patients as well as a number of families and hospital staff since it was piloted at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary following a collaboration with Wigan Council and local health service providers.

It has since been commissioned to roll out across the whole of Greater Manchester.

Cllr Paul Kenny, lead member for the armed forces at the council, said: “We are privileged to have been the chosen borough for the pilot.

“This service provides an invaluable link between military personnel and the health services they both need and deserve, and this is proven with Joseph’s story.

“As part of its commitment to the armed forces covenant, Wigan Council has worked, and will continue to work, with a range of partners to ensure that patients are asked if they are a serving or ex-serving member of the armed forces, immediate family member or reservist in order to give them the support they need.”

For more information about the service visit dmws.org.uk.