Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a health card for veterans.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Government has not made any assessment of the adequacy of existing rehabilitative care for injured veterans. The National Rehabilitation Centre is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, and construction started in 2023. This new 70-bed facility will benefit all patients, including veterans, by bringing together patient care, research, innovation, and training and education under one roof.
In addition, Op RESTORE is a bespoke physical health and wellbeing service, commissioned by NHS England, which supports individuals who have served in, or are leaving, the British Armed Forces, and have physical health injuries and related medical problems attributed to their time in the Armed Forces.
NHS England continually works with its commissioned providers to improve the quality of data relating to the veterans that are being cared for by those services. No assessment has been made on the potential merits of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the quantity and quality of data on veterans with mental health conditions, but we remain open to using AI to improve the quality of data where it is appropriate to do so.
Veterans are able to access all National Health Service mainstream health services, in addition to the bespoke NHS commissioned services. Access to mainstream health services is based on clinical need. The Veterans’ ID Card can assist where access to NHS services requires confirmation of military service, for example Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE.
The Armed Forces Act 2021 introduced a legal requirement for integrated care boards to give due regard to the Armed Forces Community when commissioning healthcare services. The 2024/25 general practice (GP) contract will introduce a requirement that GPs must have due regard for the requirements, needs, and circumstances of Armed Forces Veterans when offering services and making onward referrals. Integrated care boards are encouraged to work with health providers in their area, including GP surgeries, to ensure patient needs are met.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to help increase collaboration between (a) GP surgeries and (b) Integrated Care Boards when treating veterans with physical and mental conditions.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Government has not made any assessment of the adequacy of existing rehabilitative care for injured veterans. The National Rehabilitation Centre is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, and construction started in 2023. This new 70-bed facility will benefit all patients, including veterans, by bringing together patient care, research, innovation, and training and education under one roof.
In addition, Op RESTORE is a bespoke physical health and wellbeing service, commissioned by NHS England, which supports individuals who have served in, or are leaving, the British Armed Forces, and have physical health injuries and related medical problems attributed to their time in the Armed Forces.
NHS England continually works with its commissioned providers to improve the quality of data relating to the veterans that are being cared for by those services. No assessment has been made on the potential merits of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the quantity and quality of data on veterans with mental health conditions, but we remain open to using AI to improve the quality of data where it is appropriate to do so.
Veterans are able to access all National Health Service mainstream health services, in addition to the bespoke NHS commissioned services. Access to mainstream health services is based on clinical need. The Veterans’ ID Card can assist where access to NHS services requires confirmation of military service, for example Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE.
The Armed Forces Act 2021 introduced a legal requirement for integrated care boards to give due regard to the Armed Forces Community when commissioning healthcare services. The 2024/25 general practice (GP) contract will introduce a requirement that GPs must have due regard for the requirements, needs, and circumstances of Armed Forces Veterans when offering services and making onward referrals. Integrated care boards are encouraged to work with health providers in their area, including GP surgeries, to ensure patient needs are met.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 18 of the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan 2022-2024, CP 598, published in January 2022, when she plans to implement veteran-aware training for social work teams in every local authority in England.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan 2022-2024 included a commitment for the Office for Veterans' Affairs, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to explore options for the introduction of veteran-aware training for social work teams in every local authority in England. There are no immediate plans to implement this specific training.
Instead, the Principal Social Work Network for Adults across England meet on a regular basis to review all aspects of social work practice and training, underpinned by statutory and policy guidance, which includes the needs of the veteran community. This national network comprises of representatives from all settings including local authorities, National Health Service bodies, the voluntary sector, and Ministry of Defence organisations, and shares an undertaking to develop the competence of the workforce to meet the needs of all vulnerable groups, including veterans and their families and carers.
The Government has an ambition to make the United Kingdom the best place in the world to be a veteran by 2028. Veterans are entitled to the same social care and support as the civilian population in England.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2024 to Question 14455 on Mental Health Services: Veterans, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of using social prescribing to support veterans with mild mental health conditions.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, which provides a comprehensive mental health service for veterans. Since its inception in 2017, over 35,000 referrals have been made to Op COURAGE. NHS England does not hold data on the number of veterans who have accessed Op COURAGE services on more than one occasion, or the numbers of veterans with gambling additions that have used Op COURAGE.
NHS England has commissioned three pilot sites to explore and evaluate the merits of social prescribing in the Armed Forces Community. The outcome of the evaluation is planned for Autumn 2024, and the findings will inform a toolkit which can be used by other social prescribing teams.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2024 to Question 12907 on Mental Health Services: Veterans, if she will make an estimate of the number of veterans with gambling addictions that have used Op COURAGE since its inception.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, which provides a comprehensive mental health service for veterans. Since its inception in 2017, over 35,000 referrals have been made to Op COURAGE. NHS England does not hold data on the number of veterans who have accessed Op COURAGE services on more than one occasion, or the numbers of veterans with gambling additions that have used Op COURAGE.
NHS England has commissioned three pilot sites to explore and evaluate the merits of social prescribing in the Armed Forces Community. The outcome of the evaluation is planned for Autumn 2024, and the findings will inform a toolkit which can be used by other social prescribing teams.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2024 to Question 14455 on Mental Health Services: Veterans, how many veterans were referred to Op COURAGE more than once since its inception.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, which provides a comprehensive mental health service for veterans. Since its inception in 2017, over 35,000 referrals have been made to Op COURAGE. NHS England does not hold data on the number of veterans who have accessed Op COURAGE services on more than one occasion, or the numbers of veterans with gambling additions that have used Op COURAGE.
NHS England has commissioned three pilot sites to explore and evaluate the merits of social prescribing in the Armed Forces Community. The outcome of the evaluation is planned for Autumn 2024, and the findings will inform a toolkit which can be used by other social prescribing teams.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many veterans in the West Midlands accessed Op COURAGE in the last year.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Since 2017, NHS England has expanded the services available to veterans with the introduction of the Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) in 2017, followed by the Complex Treatment Service (CTS) in 2018 and the High Intensity Service (HIS) in 2020. The commissioning of each of these services led to the introduction of the overarching name Op COURAGE.
From 1 April 2023, a new integrated Op COURAGE service has been operational. This new service has brought together the previously three separate mental health services for veterans into a single service to make it easier for veterans to access the support they need when they need it.
Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 6,524 referrals into Op COURAGE. In the same period, there were 568 referrals from general practices within a West Midlands integrated care board. It is possible that a veteran has had more than one referral into the service.
Veterans can also choose to use Talking Therapies and other mental health services commissioned by NHS England. Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 20,485 veteran referrals into Talking Therapies services.
In 2021, the Government committed an additional £2.7 million to March 2025, to expand Op COURAGE following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In January 2024, NHS England launched a national campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE and encourage veterans struggling with their mental health to seek help from the service. The campaign will run until March 2024.
As well as the National Health Service-commissioned Op COURAGE service, the Government is providing an additional £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, People and Pathways Programme to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable veterans throughout the UK and enable the programme to become self-sustaining.
The Principal Social Work Network for Adults across England meet on a regular basis to review all aspects of social work practice and training underpinned by statutory and policy guidance which includes the needs of the Veterans community.
NHS England is the commissioner of Op COURAGE and other mainstream mental health services. NHS England has engaged with international counterparts on best practice on tackling veterans’ mental health issues and will continue to collaborate in this way to ensure the services in England reflect best practice and evidence-based learnings in the commissioning of bespoke services for veterans.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2024 to Question 11561 on Mental Health Services: Veterans, if she will take steps to collaborate with non-Five Eyes nations to identify additional best practices for providing mental health support to veterans.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Since 2017, NHS England has expanded the services available to veterans with the introduction of the Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) in 2017, followed by the Complex Treatment Service (CTS) in 2018 and the High Intensity Service (HIS) in 2020. The commissioning of each of these services led to the introduction of the overarching name Op COURAGE.
From 1 April 2023, a new integrated Op COURAGE service has been operational. This new service has brought together the previously three separate mental health services for veterans into a single service to make it easier for veterans to access the support they need when they need it.
Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 6,524 referrals into Op COURAGE. In the same period, there were 568 referrals from general practices within a West Midlands integrated care board. It is possible that a veteran has had more than one referral into the service.
Veterans can also choose to use Talking Therapies and other mental health services commissioned by NHS England. Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 20,485 veteran referrals into Talking Therapies services.
In 2021, the Government committed an additional £2.7 million to March 2025, to expand Op COURAGE following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In January 2024, NHS England launched a national campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE and encourage veterans struggling with their mental health to seek help from the service. The campaign will run until March 2024.
As well as the National Health Service-commissioned Op COURAGE service, the Government is providing an additional £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, People and Pathways Programme to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable veterans throughout the UK and enable the programme to become self-sustaining.
The Principal Social Work Network for Adults across England meet on a regular basis to review all aspects of social work practice and training underpinned by statutory and policy guidance which includes the needs of the Veterans community.
NHS England is the commissioner of Op COURAGE and other mainstream mental health services. NHS England has engaged with international counterparts on best practice on tackling veterans’ mental health issues and will continue to collaborate in this way to ensure the services in England reflect best practice and evidence-based learnings in the commissioning of bespoke services for veterans.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2024 to Question 11562 on Social Services: Veterans, if she will take steps to introduce veteran-aware training for social care teams in local authorities.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Since 2017, NHS England has expanded the services available to veterans with the introduction of the Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) in 2017, followed by the Complex Treatment Service (CTS) in 2018 and the High Intensity Service (HIS) in 2020. The commissioning of each of these services led to the introduction of the overarching name Op COURAGE.
From 1 April 2023, a new integrated Op COURAGE service has been operational. This new service has brought together the previously three separate mental health services for veterans into a single service to make it easier for veterans to access the support they need when they need it.
Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 6,524 referrals into Op COURAGE. In the same period, there were 568 referrals from general practices within a West Midlands integrated care board. It is possible that a veteran has had more than one referral into the service.
Veterans can also choose to use Talking Therapies and other mental health services commissioned by NHS England. Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 20,485 veteran referrals into Talking Therapies services.
In 2021, the Government committed an additional £2.7 million to March 2025, to expand Op COURAGE following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In January 2024, NHS England launched a national campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE and encourage veterans struggling with their mental health to seek help from the service. The campaign will run until March 2024.
As well as the National Health Service-commissioned Op COURAGE service, the Government is providing an additional £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, People and Pathways Programme to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable veterans throughout the UK and enable the programme to become self-sustaining.
The Principal Social Work Network for Adults across England meet on a regular basis to review all aspects of social work practice and training underpinned by statutory and policy guidance which includes the needs of the Veterans community.
NHS England is the commissioner of Op COURAGE and other mainstream mental health services. NHS England has engaged with international counterparts on best practice on tackling veterans’ mental health issues and will continue to collaborate in this way to ensure the services in England reflect best practice and evidence-based learnings in the commissioning of bespoke services for veterans.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress she has made on increasing the accessibility of Op COURAGE for veterans since its inception.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Since 2017, NHS England has expanded the services available to veterans with the introduction of the Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) in 2017, followed by the Complex Treatment Service (CTS) in 2018 and the High Intensity Service (HIS) in 2020. The commissioning of each of these services led to the introduction of the overarching name Op COURAGE.
From 1 April 2023, a new integrated Op COURAGE service has been operational. This new service has brought together the previously three separate mental health services for veterans into a single service to make it easier for veterans to access the support they need when they need it.
Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 6,524 referrals into Op COURAGE. In the same period, there were 568 referrals from general practices within a West Midlands integrated care board. It is possible that a veteran has had more than one referral into the service.
Veterans can also choose to use Talking Therapies and other mental health services commissioned by NHS England. Between January 2023 and December 2023, there were 20,485 veteran referrals into Talking Therapies services.
In 2021, the Government committed an additional £2.7 million to March 2025, to expand Op COURAGE following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In January 2024, NHS England launched a national campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE and encourage veterans struggling with their mental health to seek help from the service. The campaign will run until March 2024.
As well as the National Health Service-commissioned Op COURAGE service, the Government is providing an additional £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, People and Pathways Programme to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable veterans throughout the UK and enable the programme to become self-sustaining.
The Principal Social Work Network for Adults across England meet on a regular basis to review all aspects of social work practice and training underpinned by statutory and policy guidance which includes the needs of the Veterans community.
NHS England is the commissioner of Op COURAGE and other mainstream mental health services. NHS England has engaged with international counterparts on best practice on tackling veterans’ mental health issues and will continue to collaborate in this way to ensure the services in England reflect best practice and evidence-based learnings in the commissioning of bespoke services for veterans.