Improving access to Op COURAGE NHS veterans’ mental health services
Mental health services for military veterans across the South East are coming together under one single service, with one team handling referrals across the region from 1 April.
One single service
Op COURAGE the NHS Veterans’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Service is the overarching name for three specialist NHS services for veterans:
- NHS Veterans' Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS)
- NHS Veterans' Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS)
- NHS Veterans' Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS)
These legacy names will no longer used and this overarching name will be used instead.
One referral team
Referrals for all three parts of this service in the South East will be processed and triaged by one central team at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, replacing multiple referral routes currently in place across eight counties:
- Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Oxfordshire
- Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Same specialist treatment and support
Op COURAGE will continue to offer specialist support for ex-military personnel who are finding life difficult after their time in the forces.
This support ranges from connecting veterans and their families with practical services to assist with adjusting to civilian life, through to psychological therapies that have been adapted to treat combat-related trauma.
NHS assessment, care and treatment will then be provided by mental health Trusts already responsible for Op COURAGE in the region:
- Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Oxfordshire
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Kent, Surrey and Sussex
The military charity Walking With The Wounded will continue to provide additional veteran peer support and liaison workers who have lived experience of mental ill-health following military service.
Benefits
The move is designed to remove barriers to veterans accessing timely treatment and support and help more people come forward for professional help when they are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.
Veterans can refer themselves to Op COURAGE directly or they can ask for their GP or health and professional to refer on their behalf.
To refer to Op COURAGE South East from 1st April:
• Visit opcouragesoutheast.nhs.uk to download and complete the referral form (available from 1 Apr)
• Contact: gateway@berkshire.nhs.uk / 0300 365 2000 (option 4)
Find your local Op COURAGE service at www.nhs.uk/opcourage