Military veterans’ experiences of NHS mental health services
| Published date | 20 March 2017 |
| Pages | 21-27 |
| Date | 20 March 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-06-2016-0028 |
| Author | Edward Fraser |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Military veterans’experiences of
NHS mental health services
Edward Fraser
Abstract
Purpose –A significant minority of veterans have poor mental health outcomes but their needs are not
always well managed by the NHS. The purpose of this paper is to explore veterans’experiences of NHS
mental healthcare in Norfolk and Suffolk to identify ways of improving services.
Design/methodology/approach –Interviews were conducted with 30 veterans. Template analysis was
undertaken to explore key themes in the interview transcripts.
Findings –Participants were reluctant to seek help but were more likely to engage with a veteran-specific
service. Those whose symptoms were military related reported better experiences when accessing treatment
that was military sensitive.
Research limitations/implications –This was a local study and the findings do not necessarily reflect the
views of the wider veteran community. Most participants who received military sensitive treatment were
referred to the study by NHS providers, which could account for their positive feedback.
Social implications –The development of dedicated mental health services may encourage more veterans
to seek support, helping to improve patient outcomes. There is a need for further research to determine the
effectiveness of dedicated services and identify how they should be deployed.
Originality/value –Where academic interest has generally centred on the aetiology of mental health
conditions within the military, this study focussed upon service user experience. The findings contributed to
NHS England’s recent decision to extend its network of dedicated services in 12 areas of the country to cover
veterans across England from April 2017.
Keywords NHS, PTSD, Military, Stigma, Veterans, Armed forces
Paper type Research paper
1. Background
The British Armed Forces’prolonged involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan has intensified
academic interest in the psychological effects of warfare upon the individuals who served in these
conflicts, as well as the wider community of “veterans”, which is estimated to include 2.8 million
people across the UK (Royal British Legion (RBL), 2014).
More than a decadeof studies by the King’s Centre forMilitary Health Research have consistently
shown that, whilst most military personnel and veterans have similar levels of mental health to
the general population (Hunt et al., 2014), a significant minority have poor outcomes, especially
when it comes to commonmental health problems and alcoholmisuse (Fear et al., 2007; Goodwin
et al.,2014).
Mental health remains stigmatised in the military (Iversen et al., 2011). Veterans tend to avoid
seeking help until many years after discharge, when they may present with conditions of
considerable clinical complexity (MacManus and Wessely, 2013; Murphy et al., 2015). Some
prefer to see professionals who are military sensitive, which makes it difficult to manage their
needs effectively within a largely civilian NHS (MacManus and Wessely, 2013).
Much of the recent academic attention has focussed on the aetiology of mental health problems
within the military and there is a need for further research to explore how veterans would like to
experience mentalhealthcare after discharge so thatservices can be tailored to meet their needs.
Received 30 June 2016
Revised 9 November 2016
Accepted 8 December 2016
Special thanks to the organisations
who worked tirelessly on behalf of
Healthwatch Norfolk to recruit
participants to this study, and to
the participants themselves for
their courage and contributions.
Thanks also to the members of the
Healthwatch Norfolk Veterans
Project Steering Group for their
guidance and support.
Edward Fraser is a Project
Officer at Healthwatch Norfolk,
Norwich, England.
DOI 10.1108/JPMH-06-2016-0028 VOL. 16 NO. 1 2017, pp. 21-27, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729
j
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC MENTALHEALTH
j
PAG E 21
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