Hospital Consultant honoured with Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance Merit Coin

Tania Cubison, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (QVH), has been awarded the prestigious Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) Merit Coin. This national recognition celebrates individuals who have shown extraordinary commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community and removing disadvantage for veterans and their families.

Tania’s dedication reflects her outstanding clinical expertise and her long-standing service as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps, where she treated wounded service personnel and led defence burns training. At QVH, she specialises in burns care and the surgical management of amputees, including pioneering surgical techniques to improve outcomes for patients.

The hospital has a proud military heritage. During the Second World War, QVH became world-renowned for pioneering reconstructive surgery for injured airmen, forming the famous Guinea Pig Club, a community of RAF servicemen who underwent life-changing treatment at the hospital. Today, that legacy continues with the Trust gaining Veteran Aware accreditation in November 2023, demonstrating its pledge to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant and ensure that no member of the Armed Forces community faces disadvantage in accessing healthcare.

Commenting on receiving the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance Merit Coin, Tania Cubison said:
“I am humbled and delighted to receive this recognition. Supporting the Armed Forces community has always been close to my heart, and I am proud to continue that work here at Queen Victoria Hospital.”

Abigail Jago, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Queen Victoria Hospital, added:
“We are delighted to see Tania’s exceptional contribution recognised with this national honour. Her clinical leadership and unwavering commitment to improving care for veterans exemplify the values of Queen Victoria Hospital. On behalf of the Trust, I want to thank Tania for her dedication to both her patients and the Armed Forces community.”

For more information about Queen Victoria Hospital’s Veteran Aware status, visit www.qvh.nhs.uk/about-us/armed-forces-veteran-aware.

Pictured: Tania Cubison, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, receiving her Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance Merit Coin from Abigail Jago, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Queen Victoria Hospital.