Military and Veterans Transition Intervention and Liaison Service Op Courage

Military and Veterans Mental Health service covering East Anglia.

This is a service for armed forces personnel approaching discharge as well as for veterans. The service will help to recognise some of the early signs associated with mental health difficulties and will provide access to a number of interventions, therapeutic treatments for complex problems and psychological trauma and prevent patient reaching crisis point. It will also help tackle some of the most common mental health and substance misuse problems such as alcoholism, anxiety and depression and join up services across the board, working with local authorities and charities so that the whole of a person’s needs and their families are looked after.

For veterans

If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, these services can provide a range of treatment and support regardless of when you left the armed forces. This includes recognising the early signs of mental health problems and providing access to early treatment and support, as well as therapeutic treatment for complex mental health difficulties and psychological trauma. Patients are also provided with help, where appropriate, with employment, reduction in alcohol consumption, housing and social support.

Armed forces personnel approaching discharge

If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, these services can provide a range of treatment and support in close liaison with Defence Medical Services (DMS). This includes recognising the early signs of mental health problems and providing access to early treatment and support, as well as therapeutic treatment for complex mental health difficulties and psychological trauma. Patients are also provided with help, where appropriate, with employment, reduction in alcohol consumption, housing and social support.

There are three elements to the service

• Transition: services for those in transition, leaving armed forces
  • Work with MoD to offer mental health support for armed forces personnel approaching discharge.
• Intervention: services for veterans with complex presentation
  • Service personnel approaching discharge and veterans will have assessment within two weeks of receipt of referral. If needs identified as more complex they will be offered an appointment two weeks thereafter at the TIL veterans mh service. This will be with a clinician who has an expert understanding of armed forces life and culture. They may also be supported by a care coordinator who will liaise with other services and organisations to ensure a coordinated approach to care.
• Liaison: general service for veterans
  • For those without complex presentation, yet would benefit from NHS care, are referred into local mainstream NHS mh services where they will receive support and treatment.

Please contact Single point of access.
0300 323 0137

Veterans referral criteria

• must be resident in England
• have served in UK armed forces for a full day
• be registered with a GP practice in England or be willing to register with one
• be able to provide military service number or other form of acceptable proof of eligibility

Armed forces personnel approaching discharge referral criteria

• be a resident in England
• have an identified or diagnosed mental health illness/order AND have discharge date from MOD or be found to be unfit for continued military service by their medical board OR
• have been identified by the Departments of Community Mental Health as requiring follow on psychiatric care on discharge from MOD OR
• have had their pre-release medical and been identified by the DMS GP as requiring mental health transition support OR
• have had a pre-existing medical before they self refer