Veterans and Ex Armed Forces in Mental Health Services - TEW

This face to face training considers veterans in general mental health services. Whilst many aspects of health need for veterans are the same as other members of society, there are sometimes significant differences from other patients and particularly conditions attributable to life in the services and the overall impact of military life upon the family. These differences are sometimes reflected in the way in which healthcare is delivered, the range and types of services and the long-term impact upon the patient and their family. 

This training goes through both the similarities and the differences to allow healthcare staff to understand both the context of military life and also how to appropriately respond to patient need. We discuss Armed Forces values and culture, and help you to understand how diverse experiences before, during and after services may affect veterans presentation and engagement in mental health services. We also consider myths in veterans and how this may affect their engagement. Finally, we consider how we can meet the needs of veterans within mental health services, including the care pathway for veteran-specific services.