North’s mental health veterans’ services salute “Op Courage”

Mental health teams that have helped over 500 armed forces veterans over the last three years are proud to be part of a new universal NHS veterans’ service.

On Thursday 5 March 2021 Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England and NHS Improvement, Johnny Mercer, Minister for Defence People and Veterans and Kate Davies CBE, Director of Health and Justice, Armed Forces and Sexual Assault Services Commissioning, NHS England and NHS Improvement, officially launched the new NHS Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS), at the Veterans’ Mental Health Conference organised by Kings College London Centre for Military Health Research.

 

In the North of England, the NHS Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service was launched in November 2020 led by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) to support armed forces veterans experiencing serious mental health problems. Since launching, it has helped 53 veterans from across the North of England when they’ve been at their most vulnerable. LYPFT also leads the Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) which has helped over 500 veterans since it launched in April 2018.

 

Over the last three years, NHS England and NHS Improvement has launched the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS), the Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and more recently the Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS).  Together these form a complete mental health care pathway.

 

All NHS specialist veterans’ mental health services will now come under the name: Op Courage: the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, which has been developed by veterans and their families. Op Courage is part of a nine-point NHS plan to support the Armed Forces.  The new name makes NHS veterans mental health services easier to find and access; a name that inspires hope and bravery and is inclusive and relevant to both the NHS and military life.  The change provides a simplified name with a clear ‘front door’ to care and support.

 

Since launching in November 2020, the HIS North of England team has seen most of its referrals (27%) come from the North East and Cumbria. The majority had left the army and were aged 31-40.

 

This includes people like Mark Foster who served as a Private in the Army’s Royal Logistic Corp (RLC) between 2008 and 2012. Mark has struggled with homeless, alcohol addiction and post-traumatic distress disorder (PTSD) following the death of a close friend in the Afghanistan conflict. He spoke about his experiences and supported the launch of the HIS North of England team in November 2020.

Since April 2018, the CTS North of England team has helped 578 veterans, with the vast majority (83%) being men who’d served in the army or as an army reservist. People like Adam Brook who was medically discharged from the Royal Air Force in 2012. In 2019 Adam talked honestly about his background, the impact of the Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service and his advice to other veterans who experience mental health difficulties in this video.

Major Dan Brooks, a Reservist Officer in the Fourth Battalion of the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment, is also the Implementation Manager for the Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service in the North of England. He said: “It’s great to see all high intensity services go live across the country. Our Trust has a strong track record in running veterans’ mental health services and we’re committed to supporting the NHS’ future ambitions for veterans.

“We’re proud to be part of this national mental health service supporting the men and women who have sacrificed so much for us.

 

“We know that veterans can struggle to engage with health services, particularly mental health, and sometimes it can take years for them to seek help. This means they can present in crisis to local services that might not have experience of dealing with veterans with complex mental health problems.

 

“That’s where we can really help. We have an expert team of clinicians and support officers, some of whom are veterans themselves. We can get involved really quickly and support veterans and their families through their immediate crisis and into longer term recovery.

 

“Having a universal service across the country with a simple name that inspires hope will go a long way to improve access for veterans, and hopefully their confidence to come forward too.”

 

Quotes from some of the veterans supported by the HIS since November 2020

 

A veteran based in the North East gave the HIS this feedback: “[They] helped me to rebuild my life after I suffered a breakdown and became addicted to drugs and alcohol effectively costing me everything. I was in psychiatric hospital after attempting to commit suicide when I made contact with them. Since then they have helped me with my recovery step by step ensuring I have the right help at hand.

 

“They also secured me housing, keeping me off the street and they’re currently helping me retrain to get back into work. I could never really express how great full I am. They truly have saved my life. There hard work and constant contact has helped me overcome my addictions and get back to being a good father to my three children.”

 

Another veteran in the North East said: “Now I’m starting to deal with my debts with support from you, I’ve had the best night’s sleep I’ve had in years. Thank you.”

 

One of our team helped a veteran in the North West which included getting him back on his bike. After his treatment he said: “My road bike is brilliant, I am so chuffed. It will save me money as I can ride to work and it will get me back to keeping fit again. Thanks for everything you and the rest of the team have done for me, I can feel all my stresses disappearing and I feel so much better in myself.”

 

Find out more about the Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS) in the North of England.

 

Find out more about the Veterans’ Complex Treatment Service (CTS) in the North of England.

 

How veterans can seek help in the first instance

If you are an armed forces veteran (with at least one day’s service), or know someone who is, and need support for mental health, substance misuse or other social issues, you can speak to your GP or contact the NHS Veterans’ Transition Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) in the first instance on 0303 123 1145 or email vwals@nhs.net.