Doctors, nurses and other NHS staff will work with military
charities to provide therapy, rehab services and, in
extreme cases, inpatient care to hundreds of former
soldiers, sailors and RAF personnel each year.
Those needing urgent help will receive a same day referral.
The “high intensity” treatment has already been trialled in
some areas and will be rolled out across the country by
next month as part of Op Courage, which brings together
specialist services for veterans.
Involving charities will help NHS staff to understand the
experiences and issues faced by those who have risked their
lives for their country and may have lost comrades or been
injured themselves.
It also helps to integrate veterans with mental ill health
back in to everyday life.
Speaking at the annual Kings’ Centre for Military Health
Research Veterans’ mental health conference at King’s
College London, NHS England chief executive Sir Simon
Stevens said:
We owe a special debt of gratitude to those who risk all
for their country and the NHS is determined to do its
part in honouring that.
Anyone can be affected by mental ill health but armed
forces veterans may have seen and experienced things that
few others – thankfully – will.
That can create a special set of challenges which working
with military charities helps to overcome and that it
what is at the heart of Op Courage – ensuring that the
NHS is a National Hero Service.
Over the last two years the health service has expanded
mental health services as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
More than 13,000 former troops have benefited from
specialist care for lower level problems such as anxiety
and depression.
Almost 2,000 more have received help for more complex
problems such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The new service, which is expected to treat around 500
people a year, will focus on those in crisis, at risk of
self-harm or suicide, or suffering other problems such as
homelessness and addiction.
It is being rolled out after trials involving almost 200
former servicemen and women.
Veterans will be able to access any of the three tiers of
treatment from a single Op Courage service in each of the
seven NHS regions.
Minister for Defence People and Veterans, , said:
One of the biggest challenges we face with veterans
mental healthcare in this country is making sure those
who need help know where to turn.
Op Courage, a collaborative piece of work between NHS
England and the Office for Veterans Affairs, will provide
a clear single route for accessing specialist care.
Looking after our veterans is a national responsibility
in which we all have a role to play. We all have a duty
to ensure Op Courage is known about and understood up and
down this country. Help is available; you can get better.
Speak up. Have courage.
Op Courage is part of a nine-point NHS plan to support the
Armed Forces.
Other commitments laid out in the plan include ensuring
access to quality secondary care, reducing healthcare
inequalities, helping with the transition to civilian life
and increased support for vets’ families, children and
carers.
NHS England Director of Health and Justice and Armed
Forces, Kate Davies CBE, said:
This is a significant step forward in our work to help
the veterans most in need who may have historically
slipped through the net and we are excited to outline
these nine commitments as part of the NHS Long Term Plan
to improve veteran healthcare.
Op Courage is a great initiative that we have developed
in collaboration with veterans to bring three mental
health services under one umbrella to make it easier to
access for the 2.4 million vets around England who may
need it.
There are around 2.4 million veterans living in the UK and
around one in 20 will suffer from PTSD. A smaller number
will have severe and complex mental health needs.
