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.
Jan. 14 2009
Source Page: Table showing NHS hospital and community health services: Non-Medical staff in England by Strategic Health Authority, broken down by organisation and by selected staff groups as at 30 September 200and 2007. 20 p.Found: Table showing NHS hospital and community health services: Non-Medical staff in England by Strategic Health
Feb. 02 2012
Source Page: Personal social services expenditure and unit costs: England 2012-11 - provisional release. 20 p.Found: Personal social services expenditure and unit costs: England 2012-11 - provisional release. 20 p.
Feb. 08 2024
Source Page: Public health commissioning in the NHS: 2023 to 2024Found: Public health commissioning in the NHS: 2023 to 2024
Mar. 05 2009
Source Page: Table showing alcohol-related admissions of patients aged 18 to 21, broken down by the healthcare provider, for the years 2002/03 to 2006/07. 30 p.Found: NHS TRUST31.91RC9LUTON AND DUNSTABLE HOSPITAL NHS TRUST48.270000000000074RCBYORK HEALTH SERVICES NHS
Feb. 17 2010
Source Page: Table showing the number and standardised rate of emergency readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge from hospital from 1998/99 to 2007/08 by NHS Trust. 20 p.Found: emergency readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge from hospital from 1998/99 to 2007/08 by NHS
Jan. 19 2009
Source Page: Table showing the percentage of hospital occupied floor area below Estatecode condition B for each year from 2001/2 to 2007/8, broken down by NHS organisation. 8 p.Found: occupied floor area below Estatecode condition B for each year from 2001/2 to 2007/8, broken down by NHS
Mar. 24 2009
Source Page: Table showing rate of admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorders for patients aged 18 - 21 at start of episode per 1000 admission episodes for each year from 1998/99 to 2007/08. broken down by NHS trust or primary care trust, with provider code. 93 p.Found: start of episode per 1000 admission episodes for each year from 1998/99 to 2007/08. broken down by NHS
Government Response Mar. 01 2024
Committee: Integration of Primary and Community Care CommitteeFound: Over the past 2 years, CQC has worked in partnership with people who use health and social care services
Mar. 01 2024
Source Page: Government response to the report on integrating primary and community careFound: Over the past 2 years, CQC has worked in partnership with people who use health and social care services