Veterans
get mental health
service

Specialist outreach workers will be available through the Veterans’ Outreach Service to assess the mental health needs of former servicemen and women and liaise with local health bodies, primary care and service charities to make sure their needs are met.

Funding, which will be available until March 2015, has been provided by the Government.

The service will be hosted by Humber NHS Foundation Trust and run in partnership with Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Jennie Ormerod, consultant clinical psychologist at Humber, said it was needed because many veterans, because of their experiences, found it difficult to ask for help via mainstream NHS bodies.

“We realised we needed to make it as easy as possible for these people to access our services as there is still a stigma surrounding mental health issues in the military.

“The Veterans’ Outreach Service employs specialist veterans’ mental health outreach therapists covering Yorkshire and the Humber. The therapists are unique in that they are sensitive to military culture. We aim to provide triage and thorough assessment to refer veterans on to the most appropriate service to meet their needs.”

About 200 people attended the launch event at The Royal York Hotel yesterday.

Chris Long, chair of the Yorkshire and the Humber Armed Forces Network, said: “The Armed Forces Network has worked with NHS mental health services, the Armed Forces and the third sector representing veterans’ charities to deliver this new service.

“We hope to help several hundred veterans a year and to embed a sustainable legacy service within the NHS for the future.”