The health service has today (9 January) launched a new campaign to highlight its Op COURAGE service, which now includes enhanced specialist support for addictions.
Today’s press release advises that the latest available data shows that from April-November 2023, more than 4,500 referrals were made to the NHS service which provides specialist care, support and treatment to former Armed Forces personnel, reservists, and service leavers with mental health and wellbeing issues.
More than 30,000 referrals have been made to the veterans’ mental health and wellbeing ‘lifeline’ service since it was first launched by the NHS in 2017. There are about 2.4 million veterans living in the UK.
A new survey of over 3,000 veterans and serving personal, carried out by NHS England, found that the majority (around 60%), of those who took part, said they found it difficult to ask for help for mental health issues.
For those who sought help from Op COURAGE, self-referral was the top method (around 44%). More than half of respondents (52%) said they currently had, or had previously had, a mental health problem and 54% said they had a physical health problem now or had previously had one.
Support for veterans, reservists, and service leavers through OP COURAGE is provided by trained professionals from the Armed Forces community or with extensive experience of working with the military.
Visit Op COURAGE for more information about the service.
Flu and COVID Vaccinations – Autumn / Winter
Flu / COVID season is fast approaching. There are some changes regarding when patients will be eligible for their Flu / COVID vaccinations this year. Please visit our Flu / COVID page to read all of the updates. We are now inviting eligible patients to book their appointments.