Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations in relation to health from Lord Ashcroft's Veterans' Transition Review published in February 2014.

All the significant recommendations from Lord Ashcroft’s Veterans’ Transition Review have been implemented and are now routine business for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). In May 2018, Lord Ashcroft stepped down as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Veterans’ Transition. In his letter to the Prime Minister, he said that while work remains to be done, “I am pleased with the many practical changes that have been brought about as a result of the Transition Review, and that the whole issue of veterans’ transition now has a higher profile in government and beyond.” The full text of Lord Ashcroft’s letter to the Prime Minister, along with a copy of the Review, follow-up reports and associated documents can be found at the following address:

http://www.veteranstransition.co.uk/

This Government is not complacent, and we are working to further support our military veterans. In November 2018 the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments published an evidence-based ‘Strategy for our veterans’ which will work to ensure veterans’ issues are considered, coordinated and delivered across the UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategy-for-our-veterans). This builds on existing progress, including in health issues where specific care pathways for veterans have been developed around mental health and prosthetic aftercare.

As part of the Strategy we are also this year introducing a holistic transition policy. Transition support currently provided by the MOD largely focuses on employment support, delivered by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), which supports Service leavers in their transition from military to civilian life through a range of career and employment support services including skills development workshops, seminars, resettlement training advice, vocational training courses, career consultancy, one-to-one guidance and job finding support.  However, transition is far wider than finding employment, and relates to the significant life changing processes which affect both the Service person and their immediate family through the entire time they are within or connected to the Armed Forces, through to discharge and beyond, which need to be appropriately addressed to ensure successful transition into civilian life.  This will include transition to civilian health care.