If you are a veteran and experiencing a mental health crisis, you can be referred to Op COURAGE in the South West of England. 

It’s an NHS service supported by trained professionals who are from, or have experience of working with, the armed forces community. 

The service can help if you’re finding life difficult after leaving the military. Working together with armed forces charities, Op COURAGE will help you get the right type of specialist care, support and treatment for your specific needs.

We are in it together.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership is the primary provider of the Op COURAGE Integrated Veterans Mental Health Wellbeing Service, working in partnership with our Trust, Combat Stress, Walking With The Wounded, Mental Health Matters and Togetherall.

The Op COURAGE Integrated Veterans Mental Health Service can support anyone who has served in the UK armed forces community regardless of length of time served, rank or reason for leaving. We cover the areas of Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Cornwall and The Isles Of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, and Somerset.

This partnership will build on the existing statutory provision within local areas across the South West to ensure that veterans can access a range of specialist support and treatment, tailored to their specific needs. This provision brings together mental health, physical health and wellbeing support, including:

  • support to crisis care services for veterans presenting in a mental health crisis
  • support during an inpatient unit stay
  • care navigation – helping veterans and their carers find the local services best suited to their needs
  • support and care for family members and carers where they need it.

Working together means that we can offer a joined up and dedicated specialist mental health care service for veterans, to help improve their and their families health and lives.

 

Op COURAGE can support anyone who has served in the UK armed forces community regardless of length of time served, rank or reason for leaving, and their family.

We cover the areas of Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Cornwall and The Isles Of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, and Somerset.

Our services are available to:

·         former members of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force

·         reservists who are not currently mobilised

·         those who have served in the Merchant Navy in support of military operations

·         those who have served their National Service

·         former members of the Territorial Army

·         family and loved ones of veterans.

Veterans may experience a range of mental health difficulties, including:

·         depression and anxiety

·         difficulty with sleeping

·         feeling overwhelmed

·         difficulty controlling anger and frustration

·         difficulty moving on from military life

·         alcohol, drug or gambling issues

·         post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The service can provide comprehensive assessments and offer access to local support.

Depending on each individual’s circumstances, we may signpost veterans to other local services including non-statutory services to ensure that there is a holistic package in place throughout the pathway – supporting and complimenting care delivered by the Op COURAGE team.

These services might include:

·         housing support

·         debt management

·         employment support

·         welfare support

·         social inclusion.

Op COURAGE has established links, including:

·         Crisis / home treatment teams

·         Liaison psychiatry

·         Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services

·         Adult community mental health teams

·         Inpatient services

·         Substance misuse services

·         Gambling services

·         Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs)

·         Personal health budgets (PHBs) including PHBs for wheelchairs

·         Services for veterans in the Criminal Justice System (CJS)

·         Veterans Trauma Network (VTN) and physical healthcare services.

If you meet the criteria for either a veteran or a serving personnel member you can refer yourself directly by calling 0300 0349986 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

You can also contact your GP or health professional to refer you too.

Please be aware that due to the change in service, the Gateway referral team at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will no longer handle referrals for Op COURAGE in the South West of England.

Find out more about Op Courage