Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that retired military personnel have access to mental health support.

In addition to all the clinical commissioning group commissioned mental health services, many of which have pathways and services relevant to armed forces, NHS England commissions two bespoke services for veterans experiencing mental health difficulties.

The first is the Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service which supports serving personnel who need additional support as they are leaving the armed forces and veterans who have mental health issues. The Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service is also the entry point to the Complex Treatment Service, the second service commissioned by NHS England. The Complex Treatment Service is able to provide a range of more intensive care and treatment for veterans with military related complex mental health difficulties, many of whom will have experienced trauma.

The Transition Intervention and Liaison Service accepts referrals directly from veterans or a veteran can ask their general practitioner or a military charity to refer them.