Veterans in Mind A specialist mental health service for military veterans in the Cheshire and Merseyside areas will be officially launched later this month. 

Veterans in Mind will offer bespoke mental health care and support to ex-service men and women in Cheshire and Merseyside (excluding Liverpool).  

Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust was awarded the contract in November last year to provide mental health services for veterans in partnership with veterans mental health charity Combat Stress and S.A.M.S (Support and Management Solutions) – Armed Forces Community Support Hub.  

Veterans in Mind will work collaboratively with veterans, or their loved ones to provide support and care with a focus on improving psychological wellbeing, increasing social networks and long- term recovery. Treatment is offered to those veterans who may be experiencing psychological effects resulting from their time as a serving armed forces member, such as depression, anxiety and problems relation to personality issues.

Lucinda Bolger, clinical Lead for Veterans in Mind, said: “As soon as you have served one day in the Armed Forces you are considered to be a veteran.  Some of those veterans are able to adapt back into the community, where others need support in coming to terms with the impact of serving as a member of the Armed Forces.  

“We understand that getting on the road to recovery involves more than just psychological help. We offer support to veterans with housing, financial, and social needs in order to assist our service users regain their confidence and adapt back into the community.  

“We can work alongside our veterans in order to help them re-build relationships with their partners and families, if these relationships have suffered as a result of their military experience. 

“Working in partnership with experts of veteran culture, our staff are able to relate to the unique experiences of people who have served as an armed forces member. We can provide the necessary interventions tailored to service users so that they receive the best package of care that is right for them.”

Paula Berry, regional operations manager – central at Combat Stress, added: “We’re delighted to be involved in this new service and think it will make a real difference to the support available to veterans in Cheshire and Merseyside. Our local community team will be working in partnership with Veterans in Mind to provide veterans with mental health issues the help and advice they need.”