Rutland County Council reassesses healthcare after its Armed Forces community changes

August 6, 2026

Rutland’s Armed Forces community had changed, so the local healthcare provision needed reassessing. 

What was the situation?

The MOD closed RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, and opened Kendrew Barracks Army base in its place. Rutland County Council recognised that its local Armed Forces population had changed. They needed to better understand the health and wellbeing needs of the new Armed Forces community. They also had to consider whether existing military and civilian health services were able to meet those needs.

What made this Covenant disadvantage?

Due to the nature of Service life, members of the Armed Forces community can have different health and wellbeing needs to the civilian population. Also, those needs can vary between different groups in the Armed Forces community. If healthcare bodies do not have a clear understanding of these needs, they may be less able to plan for and deliver appropriate services. This can make it more challenging for members of the Armed Forces community to access the support they require than civilians.

What was done to help?

Rutland County Council’s Armed Forces Officer and Public Health team worked with local military units to undertake a health needs assessment of the serving personnel on the Army base. The assessment explored how the needs of personnel and families at an Army base differed from those at the former RAF station; how these needs compared with those of the local civilian population; and whether civilian health services could meet the new demand.

The project used literature reviews for health conditions; policy reviews; primary qualitative data collection in the form of interviews and focus groups; and quantitative analysis. This was all drawn from both national and local data. A report was published, and a Health and Wellbeing Board was dedicated to the health needs of the Armed Forces community.

What was the outcome?

The work provided Rutland County Council with a better understanding of the health needs of its local Armed Forces community. The findings informed the council’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. This helped to ensure that future health planning and service provision reflected the needs of its Armed Forces community.

Wider information

You can read more widely about:

• Covenant disadvantage and special provision (the two types of case study in this database)
• Covenant support for the Armed Forces community: Healthcare
• How local authorities can support the Armed Forces community and implement the Covenant

Disclaimer: This case study is part of the Covenant case study database. MOD has developed the database to illustrate examples of good practice for organisations in scope of the Covenant. It serves as a guide for effective Covenant delivery, offering practical insights into achieving fairness for the Armed Forces community. Delivery of the Covenant may vary across the UK. This means there is no guarantee the solution outlined in this case study is available in your area.