An NHS Service for Veterans with Military-Related Mental Health Conditions
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Who can refer to VNHSW? Where to get more information Referrals are welcomed from: Veterans’ NHS Wales Psychological Therapies Dept. • Veterans and Reservists (self-referral) Ty Derbyn Wrexham Maelor • Primary care services (GP, primary mental Croesnewydd Road health services) Wrexham • Secondary mental health services (CMHT, LL13 7TD in-patient services) T: 03000 857 964 E: [email protected] • Third sector organisations (The Royal British Legion, Change Step etc.) /WelshVeteranService • Armed Forces (DCMHS) @veteranswales • Family members (with consent) www.veteranswales.co.uk • Any other professional working with or Out-patient clinics are available in supporting a veteran • Colwyn Bay • Tremadog • Holywell • Wrexham How to refer to VNHSW • Llanfairfechan • Welshpool (North An NHS service for veterans • Rhyl Powys) You can refer by: with military-related mental Useful contact numbers 1. Completing our online referral form at health conditions www.veteranswales.co.uk and going VETERANS’ GATEWAY to the page ‘referrals’ or: 24 Hour First Point of Contact 2. Contacting the main office via phone Free phone: 0808 802 1212 Text: 81212 (request call back) or e-mail: Website: www.veteransgateway.org.uk • T: 03000 857 964 • E: [email protected] CALL 24 Hour Mental Health Helpline for Wales Freephone: 0800 132 737 Text: ‘Help’ to 81066 www.veteranswales.co.uk What is Veterans’ NHS Wales Do you experience any of the (VNHSW)? following since military service? VNHSW is a NHS service which provides • Sleepless nights? specialist mental health assessments and • Frequent conflict with partners, family out-patient psychological and medication treatments. members and friends? • Difficulty coping with day to day tasks? © MOD/Crown copyright 2017 Who is VNHSW for? • Avoiding social activities? VNHSW is a priority mental health service for • Feelings that you have changed since What veterans have said veterans and reservists who have served in military service? HM Armed Forces and who have a suspected about VNHSW service-related mental health condition. • Feelings of guilt or shame? “This was the first time that I felt that • Symptoms of depression, anxiety I was speaking to a therapist who Veterans sometimes develop service-related understood my issues as a veteran” mental health problems and these can or PTSD? occur for many reasons ranging from deeply • Coping with symptoms through use of “The treatment was rightly challenging, shocking operational experiences to difficulty alcohol, drugs or self-harm? but has been extremely effective – even adapting to civilian life. when I sometimes did not believe it would work” You DO NOT need to have served in a combat role in the Armed Forces to “After ten years of diagnoses I have experience service-related psychological made a big step forward now instead of health problems. being in the situation during flashbacks I can now see myself from outside which is hugely important for me” “My therapist was great and knew how to handle the subjects I talked about” © MOD/Crown copyright 2018 “My therapist was able to make me see Helping veterans to get back things in a different way and help me and my family become closer than we on track with their lives have ever been” © MOD/Crown copyright 2018.