Mar. 13 2024
Source Page: Government delivers further expansion of health services to former armed forces personnelFound: Government delivers further expansion of health services to former armed forces personnel
Dec. 20 2010
Source Page: An evaluation of six community mental health pilots for verterans of the Armed Forces: a case study series [CTLBC-405]. 117 p.Found: An evaluation of six community mental health pilots for verterans of the Armed Forces: a case study series
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 5 February 2024 to Question 11562 on Social Services: Veterans, if she will take steps to introduce veteran-aware training for social care teams in local authorities.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Since 2017, NHS England has expanded the services available to veterans with the introduction of the Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) in 2017, followed by the Complex Treatment Service (CTS) in 2018 and the High Intensity Service (HIS) in 2020. The commissioning of each of these services led to the introduction of the overarching name Op COURAGE.
From 1 April 2023, a new integrated Op COURAGE service has been operational. This new service has brought together the previously three separate mental health services for veterans into a single service to make it easier for veterans to access the support they need when they need it.
Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 6,524 referrals into Op COURAGE. In the same period, there were 568 referrals from general practices within a West Midlands integrated care board. It is possible that a veteran has had more than one referral into the service.
Veterans can also choose to use Talking Therapies and other mental health services commissioned by NHS England. Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 20,485 veteran referrals into Talking Therapies services.
In 2021, the Government committed an additional £2.7 million to March 2025, to expand Op COURAGE following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In January 2024, NHS England launched a national campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE and encourage veterans struggling with their mental health to seek help from the service. The campaign will run until March 2024.
As well as the National Health Service-commissioned Op COURAGE service, the Government is providing an additional £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, People and Pathways Programme to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable veterans throughout the UK and enable the programme to become self-sustaining.
The Principal Social Work Network for Adults across England meet on a regular basis to review all aspects of social work practice and training underpinned by statutory and policy guidance which includes the needs of the Veterans community.
NHS England is the commissioner of Op COURAGE and other mainstream mental health services. NHS England has engaged with international counterparts on best practice on tackling veterans’ mental health issues and will continue to collaborate in this way to ensure the services in England reflect best practice and evidence-based learnings in the commissioning of bespoke services for veterans.
Asked by: Sweeney, Paul (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to veterans to meet the costs of dental care and treatment.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
There are no specific provisions for veterans with respect to the costs of dental care and treatment, and individuals must meet existing exemption criteria in order to qualify for free care. Free dental treatment is available for people who are under 26 years of age; pregnant or have given birth in the last 12 months; or in receipt of certain benefits. Veterans do have a fast-track service from General Dental Services to secondary care where referrals are made for conditions requiring secondary care, for example facial trauma requiring maxillo-facial surgery. More information on eligibility for free NHS dental treatment is available on the NHS Inform website.
NHS patients who pay for their treatment pay 80% of the treatment costs, capped at a maximum of £384 per course of treatment. Both enhanced and review NHS dental examinations are free of charge for everyone in Scotland, irrespective of exemption status, however the frequency of examinations is determined by the dentist on individual risk factors. People who are not eligible for free NHS dental treatment but still have difficulty paying NHS charges may qualify for help under the NHS Low Income Scheme. More information on Help with Health Costs can be found at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/health-rights/access/help-with-health-costs#low-income .
Veterans do have a fast-track service from General Dental Services to secondary care when referrals are made, if they have conditions requiring secondary care, for example facial trauma requiring maxillo-facial surgery.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing treatment services for veterans with alcohol and drug dependency.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, with construction starting 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 has been commissioned by NHS England to act as a comprehensive veterans’ mental and physical health and wellbeing service. It supports individuals who have served in, or are leaving, the British Armed Forces and who have physical health injuries and related medical problems attributed to their time in the Armed Forces. Additionally, in April 2023, a new integrated Op COURAGE service launched which includes access to dedicated support for those presenting with substance misuse and other addictions such as gambling. Access to Op COURAGE is via referral or by direct contact from veterans, with a campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE having been launched on 9 January 2024.
The Government is providing an additional £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, People and Pathways Programme to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable veterans throughout the United Kingdom, and to enable it to become self-sustaining.
The Government has not made any assessment of the adequacy of existing rehabilitative care for injured veterans, existing treatment services for veterans with alcohol and drug dependency or existing mental health support for veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Office for Veterans' Affairs engage with Five Eyes international partners to share best practice on research and policy delivery. This engagement covers a wide range of issues relating to veterans including physical health. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not had additional engagement with international partners on rehabilitative care for veterans.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data the Office for Veterans' Affairs holds on the number and proportion of veterans who have informed their GP that they served in the armed forces.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The information requested is not held centrally. Integrated care boards are encouraged to work with health providers in their area, including general practice (GP) surgeries, to ensure patient needs are met. The 2024/25 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. In addition, the Veteran Friendly GP Practices, launched in 2018, is a voluntary scheme which enables GPs to deliver the best possible care and treatment for veterans and their families, including signposting and referrals to specialist services. As of March 2024, 85% of primary care networks have a veteran-friendly accredited GP in their area, and 83% of acute trusts have been accredited as veteran-aware.
Found: Health’ report prepared by Prof Beverly Bergman from the University of Glasgow.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many veterans were treated by the NHS for bipolar disorder in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
No such estimates have been made, as the information is not held in the format requested. Veterans may be treated in several National Health Service settings, including primary care, community mental health, and specialist services. Veterans are not systematically identified in all settings, and data is not systematically collated and aggregated across settings.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support her Department provides to female veterans suffering PTSD and poor mental health due to sexual (a) assault and (b) trauma.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Health is a devolved matter across the United Kingdom, and it is for the devolved administrations to determine what support is made available in their respective jurisdictions. In England, the National Health Service, together with Police and Crime Commissioners, have commissioned Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs). These centres provide a safe space and dedicated care, through the NHS, for people who have been raped, sexually assaulted or abused, and are here for everyone, including female veterans.
SARCs offer specialist practical, medical and emotional support day and night. They offer a range of services, including crisis care, medical and forensic examinations, emergency contraception and testing for sexually transmitted infections. They can also arrange access to an independent sexual violence advisor, as well as referrals to mental health support and voluntary sector sexual violence support services.
In April 2023, NHS England commissioned Op COURAGE which is the veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service providing a comprehensive mental health treatment pathway to respond to veterans’ needs. We have increased investment in this area with the highest level to date in 2023/24 with planned spend of £23.5 million. Access to Op COURAGE is via referral or by direct contact from veterans. A campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE launched on 9 January 2024.
The Government is providing an additional £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, People and Pathways Programme to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable veterans throughout the United Kingdom and enable it to become self-sustaining.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many veterans are on a waiting list for dental care.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The information requested is not held centrally by NHS England. Veterans are not systematically identified in National Health Service systems, and therefore it is not possible to confirm how many veterans are on waiting lists for NHS services.