Supporting our Veterans: A response to the situation in Afghanistan

A statement from our Chief Executive Dr Sara Munro in response to the situation in Afghanistan and how we can support those affected by it.

Dr Sara MunroMany of us have been watching in horror at the scenes unfolding in Afghanistan.

This follows a 20-year conflict, sparked by the 9/11 terror attacks, which has seen over 450 British forces or civilian personnel killed and thousands more suffering physically or mentally.

At LYPFT we’re proud to provide mental health services for armed forces veterans as well as supporting the veterans and reservists who work for us.

We’re all concerned that the swift collapse of the government in Afghanistan, and the resulting humanitarian crisis, will be deeply troubling for our veterans and reservists and their families and friends; leading them to ask very searching questions or potentially cause them to suffer emotional trauma.

As part of the NHS and wider veterans’ mental health network, our job is to provide support to those who need it. And there will be plenty who’ll need it right now.

Therefore, if you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or wellbeing, expert help is available from Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.

If you’re due to leave the armed forces, have just left or even left many years ago, Op COURAGE is here to help.  The service can be contacted directly or you can ask your GP, a charity or someone else, such as a family member or friend, to do this on your behalf. Visit www.nhs.uk/opcourage to find out more.

As part of our Veteran Aware accreditation, I’d encourage all front line staff to check in with service users to see if this is something that is affecting them.

Support for staff

If you’re a veteran or reservist and work for us here at LYPFT, we recognise that things will be difficult right now. Our staff are our greatest asset. Your wellbeing is our priority and we want to support you to feel safe and well at work and at home.

If you’re a manager or team leader, please take the time to check in with your teams to see if this issue if affecting any of them. Don’t forget they might have family or friends who are affected by this too.

We’re fostering a culture of compassion, inclusion and belonging. A culture in which wellbeing is everybody’s business and where we support each other.

As a Trust we offer a range of health and wellbeing services for staff, which can be found on our intranet. This includes information about Health Assured, our Employee Assistance Programme, which offers help and support with a range of work, family and personal issues. Staff can self-refer or a manager can refer you. They also have a 24-hour confidential telephone counselling service which can support you, your partner and family members.

Whilst it is not our place to judge the rights and wrongs of the Afghan conflict, I was touched by the words of Carolyn Hughes whose son Danny Winter was a Royal Marine. I will leave you with the words she wrote on her son’s Facebook memorial page:

“Danny and all the armed forces of the country’s involved made a huge difference to a wild, war torn country. Because of them, terrorist attacks on our country [were] avoided and countless lives were saved. The women of Afghanistan were safe to walk the street and get an education, something that had always previously been denied. My son did not die in vain and my pride for him is etched on my heart forever.”