Action plan launched to improve care for Scottish veterans

Scottish Veterans Care Network has created a Mental Health and Wellbeing Action Plan in collaboration with a wide range of partners to serve as a blueprint for improved support and care for veterans across Scotland.

The Action Plan is in place to ensure support is available to the 220,000 veterans in Scotland, should they need it. Created in collaboration with over 80 veterans and members of the veteran community, the Action Plan aims to ensure veterans can lead a healthy, positive life and reach their full potential by accessing timely and high quality wellbeing and mental health services, no matter where they live.

The Scottish Veterans Care Network launched last year and works across geographical and organisational boundaries to support a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach to the planning, design and delivery of an integrated, holistic, person-centred care pathway for veterans. The network is managed by NHS National Services Scotland (NSS).

Scottish Veterans Commissioner, Charlie Wallace, said:

“Ensuring that health and wellbeing services meet the needs of veterans is extremely important to us. That is why the Mental Health and Wellbeing Action Plan has been created collaboratively with veterans and those within the veteran community.”

NHS NSS Armed Forces and Veterans Champion and Director of Primary Care & Counter Fraud Services, Martin Bell, said:

“The idea behind this plan is to support Health Boards, amongst other partners, in providing high quality care to veterans, allowing them to live a healthy and positive life.”

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Action Plan is available on the Scottish Veterans Care Network. The Network can be contacted by veterans or by the public on behalf of veterans.