Professor William Roche, Medical Director NHS South East Coast Launch of South East Coast Armed Forces Forum

South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 1 of 10 Strategic Health Authorities Responsible for the health and healthcare of a local population of 4.2m across Kent, Surrey and Sussex Healthier People, Excellent Care

Military health – NHS commitment Coalition commitment NHS Operating Framework 2011/12 Murrison Report – ‘Fighting Fit’ New mental health strategy ‘No health without mental heath’ The NHS Operating Framework 2010/11, the Command paper (The Nation’s Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans, 2008) and the inter-Departmental Partnership Board have set out clear ambitions to improve the delivery of healthcare to members of the Armed forces, their dependents and veterans. DH has noted that the NHS has given insufficient priority to providing appropriate care for military veterans (Revision to the Operating Framework for the NHS in England, 2010/11) Murrison Report – Fighting Fit 4 principal recommendations The Operating Framework 2011/12 section 4.17 New mental health startegy ‘No health without mental health’ says (p.45): “ 5.30 The Military Covenant provides the basis for government policy aimed at improving the support available to the armed forces community. Mental health services have a key role to play in fulfilling this covenant. 5.31 Ways to provide additional help are being explored through six joint Ministry of Defence/NHS mental health pilots. The findings will assist other mental health services to make special provision for veterans during 2011/12. As set out in September 2010, the Department of Health has committed to provide funding to ensure the best treatment possible for veterans with mental health problems by: • creating further veterans therapist posts in NHS trusts; • exploring the use of online counselling services; • extending the Combat Stress helpline to function 24 hours a day, seven days a week; • providing training to GPs and other NHS staff who may come into contact with veterans with mental health needs; and • raising awareness among veterans themselves about services available to those with mental health problems. 5.33 The Department of Health has provided grant funding to Combat Stress to enable it to work directly with mental health trusts to ensure that the services it provides are accessible to and appropriate for military veterans. There is more information on this work in No Health Without Mental Health: Delivering better mental health outcomes for people of all ages. 5.34 In addition, a number of sites involved in the talking therapies programme are tailoring their services to the needs of veterans” It is important that the SHAs develop and maintain their Armed Forces Networks to ensure the implemention of the Ministry of Defence/NHS tranisition Protocol for those who have been injured in the course of their duty, meeting veterans’ prothetic needs and ensuring the implementation of the Murrison Report (Fighting Fit – A Mental health plan for servicemen and veterans) to improve mental health services for veterans. SHAs must ensure continuity of this work during the NHS transition period. At the same time, there is an expectation that NHS employers should be supportive towards staff who volunteer for reserve duties.

Military health – our local commitment Start of a journey Important milestone - launch of this forum Veterans Mental Health Project Forum representation NHS, MOD, service charities Aim – to help turn national policy into local actions and acts as a link and signpost between the NHS and military systems in the region, advising on commissioning strategies and providing feedback and advice on policy and outcomes to the DH and MOD Veterans Mental Health project – new initiative funded by DH to support local implementation of Murrison’s report Outcomes: 1.Increased access to NICE compliant psychological therapy services for veterans 2.Improving the appropriateness of psychological therapy services to meet the needs of veterans, including the development of practitioner skills and competencies 3. Increased skills and knowledge of military mental health issues and the needs of this group across health and social care services 4. Partnership working between mental health services and local military organisations Afternoon workshops – opportunities to discuss this project

Military health – our joint priority We need to: Know each other better and collaborate Raise awareness of the health needs of serving military and veterans to those working on the health and care pathways Embed in local networks in the changing landscape of the NHS The NHS Operating Framework 2010/11, the Command paper (The Nation’s Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans, 2008) and the inter-Departmental Partnership Board have set out clear ambitions to improve the delivery of healthcare to members of the Armed forces, their dependents and veterans. DH has noted that the NHS has given insufficient priority to providing appropriate care for military veterans (Revision to the Operating Framework for the NHS in England, 2010/11) Murrison Report – Fighting Fit 4 principal recommendations The new Operating Framework 2011/12 section 4.17 It is important that the SHAs develop and maintain their Armed Forces Networks to ensure the implemention of the Ministry of Defence/NHS tranisition Protocol for those who have been injured in the course of their duty, meeting veterans’ prothetic needs and ensuring the implementation of the Murrison Report (Fighting Fit – A Mental health plan for servicemen and veterans) to improve mental health services for veterans. SHAs must ensure continuity of this work during the NHS transition period. At the same time, there is an expectation that NHS employers should be supportive towards staff who volunteer for reserve duties.

Launch of South East Coast Armed Forces Forum Thank you, enjoy the day Launch of South East Coast Armed Forces Forum