Alcoholism and Drugs: Veterans
(asked on 8th March 2024) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2024 to Question 12906 on Alcoholism and Drugs: Veterans, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of rehabilitative care for injured veterans.
Answered by
Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government has not made any assessment of the adequacy of existing rehabilitative care for injured veterans. The National Rehabilitation Centre is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, and construction started in 2023. This new 70-bed facility will benefit all patients, including veterans, by bringing together patient care, research, innovation, and training and education under one roof.
In addition, Op RESTORE is a bespoke physical health and wellbeing service, commissioned by NHS England, which supports individuals who have served in, or are leaving, the British Armed Forces, and have physical health injuries and related medical problems attributed to their time in the Armed Forces.
NHS England continually works with its commissioned providers to improve the quality of data relating to the veterans that are being cared for by those services. No assessment has been made on the potential merits of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the quantity and quality of data on veterans with mental health conditions, but we remain open to using AI to improve the quality of data where it is appropriate to do so.
Veterans are able to access all National Health Service mainstream health services, in addition to the bespoke NHS commissioned services. Access to mainstream health services is based on clinical need. The Veterans’ ID Card can assist where access to NHS services requires confirmation of military service, for example Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE.
The Armed Forces Act 2021 introduced a legal requirement for integrated care boards to give due regard to the Armed Forces Community when commissioning healthcare services. The 2024/25 general practice (GP) contract will introduce a requirement that GPs must have due regard for the requirements, needs, and circumstances of Armed Forces Veterans when offering services and making onward referrals. Integrated care boards are encouraged to work with health providers in their area, including GP surgeries, to ensure patient needs are met.