Are you a Military Veteran?
Dawley is keen to look after its patients who have, or are serving in the British Armed Forces.
Please inform reception if you have ever served in the British Armed Forces and we will update your record accordingly.
Veterans should receive priority treatment for a condition which relates to service, subject to clinical need.
Shropshire Armed Forces Covenant Newsletter
Did you know that the NHS in England has dedicated services for those who have served in the UK Armed Forces?
Whilst the NHS is available to everyone, including the Armed Forces community, these services offer ex-forces care and treatment for a range of mental and physical health conditions. They are also provided by military and civilian experts to help ensure that you get the very best care from people who understand your health needs and Armed Forces’ experiences. As part of this dedicated care and support, these services work closely with a range of organisations and charities, including military charities, to support your wider health and wellbeing needs.
Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS)
The TILS is for both serving personnel approaching discharge from the military and ex-forces with mental health difficulties. The service provides a range of treatments, from recognising the early signs of mental health problems and providing access to early support, to therapeutic treatment for complex mental health difficulties and psychological trauma. Help may also be provided with housing, employment, alcohol misuse, and social support
Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS)
The CTS is for ex-forces who have military-related complex mental health difficulties that have not improved with previous treatment. The service provides intensive care and treatment that may include (but is not limited to) support for drug and alcohol misuse, physical health, employment, housing, relationships, and finances, as well as occupational and trauma-focused therapies.
To access these services, you need to contact the TILS. You can do this yourself, or ask your GP or a military charity to refer you:
• Midlands or East of England, call 0300 323 0137 or email mevs.mhm@nhs.net.
Veterans Trauma Network
The Veterans Trauma Network (VTN) provides care and treatment to those with a service-related physical health condition. Available in specialist health centres across England, the VTN works closely with Defence Medical Services, the TILS, and CTS, as well as military charities to provide a complete package of care. Your GP can refer you by emailing England. veteranstraumanetwork@nhs.net.
Supporting you and your family to live a healthy life
We know that families can be affected when their loved ones are unwell, so the TILS, CTS and VTN will offer to assess their health and wellbeing needs and where appropriate help them to access local services for care and treatment. With your permission and where appropriate, they will also have the opportunity to be involved in developing your care plan.
Should Armed Forces Veterans, or their families, need support through these unprecedented and challenging times, please use the Veterans Gateway on 0808 802 121 or https:/www.veteransgateway.org.uk . They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including public and bank holidays.
Or go online for the Telford & Wrekin Community Support line: https://webforms.telford.gov.uk/form/342 or phone 01952 382030.
Personalised care for veterans
If you have a complex and life-long health condition, you may be eligible for the veterans' personalised care program. This is about making sure you have more choice and control over how your care is planned and delivered. It is based on what matters to you, meaning that you can choose how best to live your life and get the right support to make this happen. This is set out in a personalised care plan which is developed with you and a range of organisations, including health and social care and military charities. As part of this, you may get a personal budget to pay for some of the care and support you need. You should also get more support in the community and be able to access a range of help, such as emotional and practical support from people who have similar health conditions or disabilities. To find out more, contact your local clinical commissioning group (CCG) or council. Details of your local CCG can be found on the NHS website at www.nhs.uk.
Op Courage: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
Op Courage is a specialist NHS mental health service designed to help serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists, veterans and their families. Patients can contact the service to make an appointment, or ask their GP, charity, family member or friend to do this.
Call 0300 323 0137 or email mevs.mhm@nhs.net (includes the Op COURAGE urgent care and support service for the Midlands).
Op Courage are keen to hear your views on this service; please click here to participate in the survey
Please find attached the latest Armed Forces stakeholder brief. In this issue you can read about:
- Op COURAGE update
- Improving care and support for veterans in the criminal justice system
- Veterans Trauma Network conference
- Military Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP)
- NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression – the new name for IAPT services
- Shared commissioning responsibilities with ICBs
- Latest veteran aware/friendly accreditations
- Op FORTITUDE
- Industrial action taking place in England
- Reminder of NHS care and support for survivors of sexual assault and abuse
- Upcoming events and engagement opportunities
In addition, please find attached a report detailing the findings of focus groups conducted as part of the procurement of the new veterans in the criminal justice system service. We are currently looking for people to take part in focus groups to inform the naming of this service, details of how to register your interest are in the engagement opportunities at the end of the brief.
February stakeholder brief
Veterans in criminal Justice System service