Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to provide immediate mental support to veterans medically discharged from service.

Structured Mental Health Assessments are conducted by Defence GPs as part of the medical discharge process to screen for mental health concerns and enable follow up in primary care or referral to specialist mental health services if required.

Where personnel leaving the Armed Forces have an enduring need for mental healthcare, Defence Medical Services work in partnership with the NHS to ensure continuation of care. Personnel who have been assessed and diagnosed with a mental health need are able to access Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) for up to six months after discharge to provide continuity of care during the transition period until appropriate handover to other services can be completed as required.

All patients who leave the Services through a medical discharge for mental health reasons or are under the care of a DCMH as they transition are offered an assessment with a DCMH Mental Health Social Worker (MHSW) to ascertain their mental healthcare transition needs.

The Veterans Welfare Service and Defence Transition Service deliver additional support to service leavers and their families who are most likely to face challenges as they leave the Armed Forces, including facilitating access to NHS services. Wherever they live in UK, veterans can access bespoke services, including Op COURAGE in England.

The Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland (VWS NI) provides professional help and advice to veterans to help them access specialist healthcare available to eligible veterans who are experiencing conditions related to their military Service.

The through life mental health support now provided to Service personnel will have a positive impact on the veterans of the future; the Ministry of Defence is ensuring that Armed Forces personnel have the psychological resilience training they need to recognise mental ill-health in themselves and those around them and know how to manage it.