Mental health stigma - Who helps who?
For those serving in the Armed Forces (including mobilised Reservists), the MOD has worked hard to improve patient care in the area of mental health – the Defence Medical Services have implemented new interventions and mental health professionals are deployed to the front line.
Who helps who?
The MOD is committed to providing appropriate training at all levels for its Service Personnel, whether as part of routine career development or as part of an operational deployment. The Stress Management Training Centre coordinates the delivery of such training and each of the three Services has its own training delivery team.
Help for Reservists
The Reserves Mental Health Programme, run in partnership with the NHS, is open to all current or former members of the UK Volunteer and Regular Reserves who have been demobilised since 1 January 2003, following operational deployment overseas as a reservist and who believe that their deployment may have affected their mental health.
Help for Service Families and Veterans
In the UK, the NHS is responsible for delivering healthcare for the families of those serving and veterans. Mental healthcare is a multi-agency delivery effort and the MOD and UK Departments of Health are working with the NHS and Service charities, including Combat Stress, to promote awareness of Veterans’ and Service family issues.
The Defence Medical Services provide healthcare services to families who accompany their serving family member when posted to our major bases overseas.
Armed Forces Covenant and Mental Health
The Armed Forces Covenant states that the Armed Forces Community should enjoy the same standard of, and access to, healthcare as that received by any other UK citizen in the area they live.
MOD has published information leaflets aimed at veterans, serving personnel and their families outlining how the Covenant can help them. If members of our Armed Forces Community feel they have been disadvantaged accessing public services these leaflets will help to identify where to go to address the problem. Download the document from the right-hand panel.
Fighting Fit: Mental Health plan for Servicemen and Veterans
The Government commissioned Dr Andrew Murrison MP to look in particular at the support for Service personnel and veterans who may suffer from mental health problems due to Service. The MOD is working closely with the Department of Health to take forward the recommendations in Dr Andrew Murrison’s report, ‘Fighting Fit’, which was published in November 2010.
Link to the report in the right-hand panels for key recommendations.
Mental health support and contact details
If you are in urgent need of mental health support or advice for you or a family member please see the contact details below