North West veterans’ mental health service launched

Date published: 16 November 2011

A new service offering mental health support for ex-military personnel in the North West has been launched.

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust (Pennine Care) has launched a Military Veterans’ Service to provide mental health support to veterans of the British armed forces and their immediate family members, who live in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria and Merseyside.

The Military Veterans’ Service has been commissioned by the Strategic Health Authority as part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme and in response to Fighting Fit, a government report which recommends steps to improve access to mental health services for veterans.

It’s the first IAPT service for veterans in the country and the first time Pennine Care has provided a service across the region, making it a significant development for the Trust. Based in Greater Manchester, Pennine Care is a proven provider of mental health and community services, providing care to a population of 1.1 million – including Bury.

The Military Veterans’ Service can help anyone who has served in the army, navy or air force, including reserves. It provides treatment and support for a range of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, anger, substance misuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Veterans mental health charity Combat Stress says 85% of veterans are too embarrassed to admit to depression or anxiety, while one in three fail to tell their families.

“Most people who leave the armed forces make the transition to civilian life without too much difficulty but there are a number who struggle to adapt and need help,” explains Dr Alan Barrett, Principal Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead for the service.

“Leaving the structure and discipline of the armed forces is a big change and some veterans find it hard to adjust to a lifestyle where they are faced with new responsibilities and required to make their own decisions. This can create stress and worry, which over time can lead to longer term psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, anger and drug and alcohol misuse.”

A non-clinical service will also work with the Military Veterans’ Service to provide help with social issues such as housing, debt and relationship difficulties; all of which can have a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing.

Dr Barrett said: “Some veterans may find it difficult to find a suitable job because they have very specific skills and knowledge. Some may also have problems with securing housing, particularly when they have little family support, whereas those who live with family may find it hard to open up and interact with their partner or children, causing relationship problems. In these cases, we can help the veteran and their whole family to deal with the issues facing them.”

After a traumatic event, such as war, it's normal to think about those experiences which may be accompanied by increased anxiety or nightmares, but these often go away within a few months. However, some veterans experience lasting psychological problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“In these cases, remembering an event is emotional, distressing and intrusive. It’s often unpredicted and some people say it is so vivid that they feel as though they are back at the event,” said Dr Barrett. “It could be triggered by something like a door slamming and sounding like an explosion, or a bag on a bus suspected of being a bomb, so we help veterans to identify these triggers and learn techniques to control them.”

There are an estimated five million veterans in the UK and a further 20,000 personnel leave the forces each year. Around 500,000 veterans live in the North West and the region has strong military links and active veterans associations.

The Military Veterans’ team includes clinical psychologists, therapists and non-clinical support. Some of the team have served in the armed forces or have family who are in the forces and others have a special interest in working with veteran personnel.

“We involved ex-service personnel and their families to develop the service so that we understand the challenges veterans face and are able to provide a service that meets their needs. We also work closely with other partners and agencies including Combat Stress and the Royal British Legion, who are experienced in working with veterans,” Dr Barrett added.

The Military Veterans’ service will work alongside other health services within the North West to promote greater engagement with the veteran community who may be reluctant to use NHS mental health services. The service seeks to build on current best practice in the region to increase understanding of the mental health needs of veterans.

Dr Barrett added: “We are delighted by the interest and support we’ve received from colleagues across the NHS, particularly from other IAPT services. There is a real enthusiasm amongst clinicians and managers to ensure that NHS services meet the needs of veterans and their families and we look forward to working in partnership with them.”

Veterans and their families can choose to refer themselves to the service, or they can enquire about a referral by speaking to their local health professional.

For more information about the service, visit www.penninecare.nhs.uk/military-veterans or call 0161 253 6638.