Marple Cottage Surgery and Guywood Practice are proud to be a Military Veteran Accredited Practice .
Please find below a list of organisations that as a military veteran you can access if you need. Some of them need a GP referral (listed) and if you think one of these organisations, that require a GP referral could help you, please book a GP appointment and we can discuss this with you and do the necessary referrals as appropriate.
Mental health support for veterans, service leavers and reservists
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-community/mental-health/veterans-reservists/
Veteran point of contact for housing/mental wellbeing/finances and more
https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk/
0808 802 1212.
Contact
Contact is a group of charitable, support and state organisations that have joined forces to enhance mental health support available to the Armed Forces community. The partnership consists of Big White Wall, Cobseo, Combat Stress, Help for Heroes, The Royal British Legion, Walking With The Wounded, the NHS, MOD, UK Psychological Trauma Society and King’s College London. Contact aims to improve collaborative care management, increase instances of help-seeking behaviour, improve service provision, encourage best practice across the sector and improve public knowledge of what support is available and how best to access it. For more information, visit the Contact website.
https://contactarmedforces.co.uk/
Combat Stress
Combat Stress is the UK’s leading mental health charity for veterans. They provide free specialised clinical treatment and support to ex-servicemen and women across the UK with mental health conditions. Combat Stress has a strategic partnership with the MOD and the Department of Health and Social Care. This enables them to work directly with NHS mental health trusts and Armed Forces health networks to develop services suitable for military veterans.
Supporting Wounded Veterans (SWV)
They understand the impact pain can have on a veteran and their family. They offer an online appointment with a pain consultant who was also a veteran. This discussion considers the options that may be available for the management of pain. Following their discussion, they are sent a letter which, with their permission, will be copied to their family doctor; at no point do they become SWV “patient”.
One option available is attending the SWV online Veterans’ Pain Resilience Programme; designed by veterans, for veterans. They also have links to a NHS Veterans’ Opioid Weaning Service.
https://www.supportingwoundedveterans.com/pain
Op FORTITUDE
Veterans across the UK will have access to Op FORTITUDE, a new dedicated referral pathway for homeless veterans, including those sleeping on the streets. The housing hotline, delivered by Riverside, will give homeless veterans a single point of contact to get them the help they need. Op FORTITUDE staff will refer callers to a network of support, including housing providers, charities, and local authorities. The programme aims to support 1,300 veterans over two years across almost sixty housing complexes, ranging from apartment blocks to shared houses. Veterans can access the scheme through a dedicated helpline on 01748 833797 or complete a referral form (site.com)
Op RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service – the new name for the Veterans Trauma Network (VTN)
After a review and engagement with veterans, providers, and charities over several months, the decision was made to rename the VTN as Op RESTORE. This is a service for anyone who has served at least one day in the UK Armed Forces and, because of their service, acquired a significant and lasting physical illness or injury. Op RESTORE will continue to accept only GP referrals; GPs can obtain a referral form by emailing [email protected], or using the form attached to the email accompanying this newsletter.
Serious injuries and long-term physical, mental or neurological health condition and disability
- VTN works with DMS, national centres of clinical expertise, NHS Veterans mental health, key charities
- Personalised care approach
Hearing loss and tinnitus services
If a patient has acquired hearing loss and / or tinnitus relating to their time in service, additional support can be funded through the Royal British Legion Veterans’ Hearing Fund. To access the service, patients can be referred by their GP to their local NHS audiology department or an application form can be downloaded from the Veterans’ Medical Funds webpage.
The Poppy Factory’s employment service
The Poppy Factory provides a dedicated employment service for ex-Forces patients across England and Wales, to which GPs and other health professionals can refer directly using a simple web-based form. The role of meaningful employment or training in a patient’s recovery can be significant and in 2021-22, nearly 200 ex-Forces patients were referred through the NHS, representing 35% of all referrals. Regular assessments showed that 64% reported increased health and wellbeing. The Poppy Factory’s consultants have expertise working with ex-Forces personnel with mild, moderate and complex mental and physical health conditions and will support veterans with challenges relating to mental or physical health and stability issues such as housing, finances or relationships. They can connect patients to other specialist services and work at whatever pace is right for the individual.
Click here to read NHS Patient Charter – Our commitment to you as a Veteran of the UK Armed Forces
Click here to read Top Tips for Military Veterans asking their GP
