NHS England launches new campaigns for veterans | News

Together with the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA), NHS England is encouraging veterans to let their GP practice know they have served in the UK Armed Forces.

It doesn’t matter how long someone served for or when they left the Armed Forces, it's important that veterans let their GP surgery know as this information may be relevant to better understand their health needs, particularly any health problems relating to their time in service.

Along with this, NHS England is also encouragimg GP practices to become veteran friendly accredited.

The aim is to target practices in areas of high veteran populations, but lower accredited practices. As part of the activity to promote this, veterans share their stories by highlighting the difference veteran friendly GP accreditation has made to their care.

Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service is an NHS mental health specialist service designed to help Armed Forces veterans and their families, serving personnel due to leave the military and reservists who are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.

North London Mental Health Partnership is the lead provider of the service in London. Our team helps with the full scope of mental health difficulties, ranging from mild to severe and complex issues, even if experienced years after leaving military service. We work closely with other NHS services and veteran charities to provide support for both the individual and their family.

Individuals can self-refer to their local service or ask a healthcare professional, charity, family member or friend to do this.

To read more about the service we provide in London visit our website which has lots of information about the service, how we support veterans and how to make a referral.

You can also watch a new film that features veterans supported by our service in London as well as our own staff including Tim Riley, clinical nurse specialist and psychological therapist, and Carole Feldman, clinical navigation and development manager, from our veterans team.

You can watch the film on the NHS YouTube channel as well as the Op COURAGE national website.

If you have any questions or want to know more, please get in touch with our team on 020 3317 6818 or veteransservice@Candi.nhs.uk