Veteran Rob encourages others to seek help from Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

Rob, an Army Veteran, shares his experiences of accessing Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

A former patient and armed services veteran has spoken out about the importance of seeking help for mental health problems ahead of Armed Forces Day (Saturday 26 June 2021).

At Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) we’re proud to support veterans in employment and in accessing the NHS care they need.

Earlier this week our commitment to this was recognised as we were named as a Veteran Aware NHS Trust.

For Armed Forces Day 2021 we’re highlighting Rob’s story – a veteran who has accessed some of the services LYPFT provides as part of Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.

Rob is a former soldier who was medically discharged from the armed forces on mental health grounds following tours of the Gulf and Bosnia. He has since accessed the help and support of the teams at LYPFT and has been empowered to take control and have involvement in his care.

Rob is keen to encourage other veterans to access these services and said: “. . . don’t think that by intervening with an organisation you’re going to have to spill official secrets and horror stories. They’re the cause, they’re not the effect and it’s the effect that needs to be dealt with.”

He initially accessed the Veterans’ Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service, referred to as TILS in the video. This was followed by support from LYPFT’s Complex Treatment Service (CTS).

These services, which have already helped hundreds of veterans, are part of OpCOURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, which also includes the Veterans’ High Intensity Service launched across the North of England by LYPFT in 2020.

Find out about OpCourage nationally on the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/opcourage.