Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has plans to provide a 24/7 mental health care helpline for veterans and serving soldiers in the Armed Forces; and if he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to ensuring that both serving personnel and veterans are given the mental healthcare and treatment they need. As well as Defence Medical Services we also work in close partnership with a variety of different organisations, including the NHS (which is responsible for the provision of healthcare, including mental healthcare, for veterans) and Service charities. For example, on the 9 October last year we announced a new partnership with the Royal Foundation, aimed at helping maintain and develop good mental fitness, thus changing the conversation around mental health into a positive and proactive one.

During working hours, there are a range of options available to Service personnel requiring mental healthcare or advice. These include contacting either their Service GP, unit medical centre, Service mental health unit, welfare, or through pastoral support. Personnel who are receiving treatment at one of the MOD's mental health facilities are also given advice on obtaining out-of-hours help. This includes contacting the local medical centre, the local NHS accident and emergency department, or one of the existing 24-hour mental health helplines. The various helplines available include the free 24-hour mental health helpline run by the charity Combat Stress (supported by the MOD), and MOD's Veterans UK free helpline (which out-of-hours provides links to the Combat Stress helpline and the Samaritans), as well as the Big White Wall, a 24-hour online community which provides safe, anonymous support to anyone struggling with mental health issues. These are all available to Service personnel, veterans, their families and dependents.

Military GP practices already provide out-of-hours medical support and are able to arrange emergency admissions if necessary. The individuals who staff the Combat Stress helpline are also trained to identify patients who are in a crisis state and who require immediate hospital admission, and will provide the necessary advice and assistance to enable them to be seen, assessed and managed in accordance with agreed protocols for people in crisis. Clinical advice is that the introduction of a separate MOD-staffed 24-hour helpline would only complicate an already volatile situation, adding additional risk which would not be in the best interests of the patient.

We believe these arrangements are robust and effective in ensuring personnel get the appropriate help whenever they need it.