Combat stress
Combat Stress are the UK’s leading charity for veteran’ s mental health.
For a century we’ve been helping former servicemen and women deal with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Today we provide specialist treatment and support for veterans from every service and conflict to give them hope and a future.
Phone
0800 138 1619
Text
07537 404719
Website
www.combatstress.org.uk
Email
helpline@combatstress.org.ukHelp for Heroes – hidden wounds service
Help for Heroes’ Hidden Wounds Service provides free and confidential support to Ex-Service Personnel, their families and the families of those still serving.
Phone
0808 2020 144
Website
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
Email
hidden.wounds@helpforheroes.org.ukSSAFA
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association provide lifelong support to those who are serving or have served in the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines or the Royal Air Force, and to their families.
Founded in 1885, they are extremely proud of their long-standing heritage and of all the work they do with inspiring people from Gloucestershire, across the UK and around the world.
Phone
0800 731 4880
Website
www.ssafa.org.ukVeterans’ gateway
The first point of contact for veterans seeking support.
Veterans’ Gateway put veterans and their families in touch with the organisations best placed to help with the information, advice and support they need – from healthcare and housing to employability, finances, personal relationships and more.
Phone
0808 802 1212
Text
81212
Website
www.veteransgateway.org.ukBlesma
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is an Armed Forces charity dedicated to assisting serving and ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the use of a limb, an eye or sight.
They support these men and women in their communities throughout the UK.
Phone
020 8590 1124
Website
blesma.org
Email
info@blesma.orgNHS – Veterans’ prosthetics
A better deal for military amputees.
The Government recently announced it was making £11 million available to spend on prosthetics and improve rehabilitation services across the country for ex-servicemen and women who are amputees.
The NHS Veterans’ Prosthetics page provides more information on the scheme and how veterans can apply.
Website
Veterans, service leavers, and non-mobilised reservists – NHSRAFA
The RAF Association is committed to supporting the RAF Family, whether currently serving, or former-serving, in a wide range of ways, delivering help and support where it is needed.
Phone
0300 102 1919
Website
www.rafa.org.uk
Email
advice@rafbf.org.ukRoyal British Legion – Veterans’ medical funds
The Royal British Legion’s Veterans’ Medical Funds programme provides support for veterans with hearing loss and serious physical injury.
Phone
0808 802 8080
Website
www.britishlegion.org.uk
Email
MedicalFunds@britishlegion.org.ukArmed forces healthcare
How the NHS can help if you’re in military service or a veteran.
Website
www.nhs.ukContact
Contact is a group of charities working with the NHS and the MOD. They want to make it simpler for the military community to find support with their mental wellbeing.
Website
www.contactarmedforces.co.ukNHS Mental Health Care for Veterans
Helpful information on mental healthcare for veterans.
Download
NHS mental health care for veterans (PDF)Op RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service
Everyone at Op COURAGE is either from the armed forces community or has experienced working with serving personnel, reservists, veterans, and their families, who have experienced forms of mental health and trauma.
The service provides a broad range of specialist mental health and wellbeing care and support for Service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families. Individuals can self-refer to their local service or ask a healthcare professional, charity, family member or friend to do this for them.
Website
www.nhs.uk/opcourageOp RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service
Op RESTORE provides care and treatment to those with a Service-attributable physical health condition or injury sustained as a result of service.
Located in 13 major trauma centres (Plymouth, Oxford, London (three centres), Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Cambridge, Brighton and Middlesbrough), with links to four NHS trusts, the network works closely with Defence Medical Services, national centres of clinical expertise, Op COURAGE and military charities, to provide holistic care.
Access to Op RESTORE requires a GP referral by contacting the email address below.
Email
imperial.oprestore@nhs.net.
Website
www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-communityOp NOVA: Supporting Veterans in the Justice System
Op NOVA provides one to one nonclinical support to veterans who are at risk of being arrested or already have been, are due to leave prison or have been released from prison. Veterans accessing the service have access to a range of practical and emotional help, along with being supported by an expert case worker.
Website
www.forcesemployment.org.uk/programmes/op-novaVeterans Prosthetics Panel (VPP)
The VPP provides funding on a named veteran basis to NHS Disablement Service Centre’s (DSC) to ensure that veterans who have service attributable limb loss can access high quality prosthetics regardless of which DSC they attend.
Website
www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/military-healthcareArmed Forces personnel in transition: Integrated Personal Commissioning for Veterans Framework (IPC4V)
IPC4V provides a personalised care approach for serving personnel who have complex and enduring, service attributable physical, neurological and mental health conditions.
It provides a framework for effectively planning and delivering personalised care to support an improved discharge planning process from the military.
This means that all organisations involved in supporting the individual are brought together at an earlier point in the care pathway, ensuring the appropriate arrangements are in place as they transition to civilian life.
Website
www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/armed-forcesPersonalised care for veterans with a long term physical, mental or neurological health condition or disability
Veterans with a complex and life-long health condition may be eligible for the veterans personalised care programme.
Eligible individuals will have a single personalised care plan for all their health and wellbeing needs that is developed with them and a range of organisations, including health and social care and military charities.
To apply, individuals should contact their integrated care board.
Website
www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/upc/ipc-for-veteransVeteran friendly GP practice accreditation
The Royal College of General Practitioners, supported by NHS England, are rolling out the veteran friendly GP practice accreditation scheme across England.
This scheme, which helps to ensure practices are equipped to best care for veterans and their families, has already accredited over 2,000 surgeries.
Website
www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/resourcesArmed Forces Charities and Support Networks
Please see the page below for an extended list of additional Armed Forces Charities and Support services:
Website
www.rosebankhealth.nhs.uk/armed-forces-charities-and-support-networks