24.  The House of Commons Defence Select Committee reported that the identification and treatment of veterans with mental health issues was not sufficiently thorough or systematic.[46] Service Leavers undergo a medical on departure from the Armed Forces but this will not necessarily reveal previously undisclosed mental health issues caused by operational service. Such problems may emerge many years later. In November 2007, the Department announced a new model for community mental health for veterans. Veterans who think they have mental health difficulties resulting from military service since 1982 can attend a medical assessment programme at St Thomas' Hospital, London. The assessments will be undertaken by an ex-Service medical officer who is a consultant psychiatrist.[47] The cost of this service is some £200,000 a year and it is also available to serving personnel.[48]

25.  The Department and the four United Kingdom Health Departments are setting up six pilot sites in the United Kingdom to trial a new community-based veterans' mental health service for two years. The key aim is to improve understanding within the National Health Service, including amongst GPs, of the nature of veterans' mental health needs and the scale of requirement for specialised services. The Department will provide start-up costs for the six pilot sites and meet the specialised costs of the evaluation. The cost of the project to the Department is £500,000, with additional funding from the Scottish and Welsh Governments and the Primary Care Trusts involved.[49]

26.  The Department could not tell us how much it had spent on advertising either the pilots or the assessment programme at St Thomas' Hospital as most of the related publicity had been wrapped up within advertising and other communications on veterans' issues in general, and, in particular, on support for Veterans Day events. The Department appears to have spent no money on radio or television advertising although it is planning some television advertising for Veterans Day 2008.[50]

27.  The Department provides briefings for Service Leavers about the financial aspects of resettlement. In particular, it includes advice about the Armed Forces Pension Schemes and generic information about financial investment. It does not include guidance on general financial and budgetary management. The briefings were generally considered useful, but they were more likely to be attended by officers and senior ranks (47% and 41% respectively) than junior ranks (only 20%).[51] The Department believes that fewer junior ranks attend because they are less likely to have reached pensionable age, which is the major focus of the briefings. Following the National Audit Office study, the Department has identified a very good self-learning package created by the Financial Services Agency which will be available electronically for Service Leavers from the end of March 2008. The Department also plans to introduce household budgeting and management seminars for serving personnel.[52]

47   Qq 35-39, 61-65 Back

48   Ev 18 Back

49   Qq 132-139; Ev 18 Back

50   Qq 132-139; Ev 18 Back

51   C&AG's Report, paras 4.1-4.6  Back

52   Qq 45, 87-90 Back