01 February 2016
Veterans called up to discuss mental health services
NHS England has launched a national campaign
highlighting and assessing mental health services available to
people who have served in the Armed Forces.
Veterans with mental health conditions, their friends and
families, professionals, support groups and Clinical Commissioning
Groups are all being asked to share their experiences and views of
mental health services by completing a questionnaire. The results
will then help NHS England find out why some veterans have not
sought or received support and shape services in the
future.
Mental health services for people who have served in the Armed
Forces need to be tailored to individual experiences; particularly
after serving in combat zones.
The NHS delivers mental health services across England
specifically for veterans. AWP provides The South West Veterans'
Mental Health Service, which covers the whole of the South West
region. The service has reported a 72% increase in service
users this year and 99% of clients would recommend the service to
others.
SW Veterans Service Lead David Wilcox said "The purpose of the
service is to make it easier for a veteran to get the best advice
and support for their mental health condition. Talking about this
isn't always easy, but by doing so you will be taking a step in the
right direction, to understand some of the issues which may be
affecting you. It's important to remember that you are not
alone."
The NHS England survey and supporting information
can be accessed here.
NHS England's national campaign will run until the end of March
2016.
To find
out more about SW Veterans' Mental Health Service click
here.