Joining the Dots in Veterans' Mental Health - DMWS hosts VPPP Midlands Armed Forces Health Symposium - DMWS
On Tuesday 7th November 2023, DMWS held the Midlands Armed Forces Health Symposium, ‘Meeting the Armed Forces Covenant Duty – Veterans’ Mental Health’ in Birmingham.
Funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT), the event was a collaboration under the AFCFT’s Veterans’ Places, Pathways and People programme. The programme’s goal is to bring together mental health support for veterans in the Midlands.
The event saw a range of regional and national delegates come together to share excellent and informative lessons and insights on supporting veteran mental health in the Midlands region. This included combined expertise from Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, NHSE (Armed Forces Commissioners), Op COURAGE, the MOD and the military third sector, with potential to design our joint working for the future. It certain stimulated great discussion session and further inspired collaborative working which we were all celebrating.
As the Programme Lead in the region, DMWS were proud to host the event and have so many colleagues from health and across the Armed Forces support sector join us to focus on the successful delivery of the Armed Forces Duty in health across the Midlands ICB region.
The practical outcome of this Symposium was to help ICBs, Trusts and statutory organisations demonstrate clearly how they can and are collaborating to pay due regard to the local needs of the Armed Forces Community under the Armed Forces Act 2021. We are hopeful the event will lead to further progress in understanding of our Armed Forces Community and development of regional consistency of health support, meeting their health needs and removing disadvantage for those from the Armed Forces Community.
If you are interested in learning more about VPPP Midlands, please contact Veteran Network Programme Manager Michelle Woolman-Lane at mwoolman-lane@dmws.org.uk.
Notes to Editors:
About Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS)
Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS) is an independent charity providing medical welfare to those who have, and continue to, operate on the frontline. We place trained professional welfare officers in locations throughout the UK and Cyprus to deliver much-needed additional support for those who are on the clinical pathway. DMWS is committed to providing the highest level of welfare support to those in need, promoting their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Whether it is a new or pre-existing issue, our service is for anyone undergoing treatment for a health-related issue. By providing support in a range of settings, our staff are committed to promoting and preserving the health and wellbeing of those who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities. In addition, they are committed to enabling them to reach their full potential. This can speed up discharge from hospital, help patients recover more quickly, and reduce the likelihood of readmission or the need for onward referral.
DMWS has a long and proud history of supporting the military in times of need, offering expert help and advice to those affected by health-related issues. Through its comprehensive services and outstanding dedication, DMWS has become an integral part of the armed forces community, offering invaluable support to the armed forces community at their critical time of need.
More can be found out on our website at https://dmws.org.uk
Published: 22nd November, 2023