Our Service Today
Veterans NHS Wales (VNHSW) is a service unique to Wales, which enables delivery of evidence-based treatment for service-related mental health conditions. VNHSW employs Veterans Therapists, Psychologists, Peer Mentors, Assistant Psychologists, Administration Staff and Psychiatrists across all Local Health Boards in Wales, to deliver treatment and support to improve the mental health and wellbeing of veterans with a service related mental health problem. The service works with partners to ensure veterans can access all the services they may need.
How We Started
The potential adverse impact of active military service on health and wellbeing has long been recognised with physical and psychological symptoms being commonly reported by veterans.
In 2008, the Command paper, The Nation’s Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans was presented to parliament. It states that regular military personnel, reservists, veterans and their families must not be disadvantaged and that this will sometimes call for degrees of special treatment.
Welsh Government remains committed to improving support and treatment for veterans. In 2009, this commitment, together with the initial success of the 2008 Welsh Pilot Project, led to the formation of a National Task and Finish Group to develop a service specification. The Group met on five occasions between 16 July 2009 and 3 December 2009. A specification was informed by evidence obtained from the following sources:
a. Existing literature regarding the needs of veterans and the provision of services for them.
b. Discussions with veterans, their carers and individuals involved in the psychosocial care of veterans.
c. Ongoing psychosocial research into the needs of veterans living in Wales.
d. The experiences of the six Community Veterans Mental Health Service Pilot Projects across the United Kingdom, with particular reference to the Pilot Project based in Wales which covered the Cardiff and Vale and Cwm Taf NHS Trusts (LHBs from 1 October 2010).
See Services Specification HERE
In April 2010, the ‘All Wales Veterans Mental Health Service’ was formed. Since then, VNHSW has established its reputation for military mental health expertise across Wales, UK and internationally, as the ‘first point of contact’ for veterans, health professionals and third sector charities who work with military veterans residing in Wales.
