| answer text |
<p>The Ministry of Defence is absolutely committed to the mental health of all Service
personnel. Maintaining good mental health, and providing treatment when required,
is fundamental to maintaining a fit, healthy, and effective military force. Our operating
model, as set out in the 2017 Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, focuses on the
four main strands of Promote, Prevent, Detect and Treat.</p><p>Recruits are entitled
to the same primary and specialist mental healthcare as their trained counterparts,
and initial training includes sessions on stress management, including how to recognise
the early signs of a problem, and where to obtain help. A key issue is tackling the
perceived stigma around mental health, and this is reinforced by training in programs
such as Mental Health First Aid and Trauma Risk Management (TRiM).</p><p>For personnel
who do need treatment, we can provide a wide range of psychiatric and psychological
treatments. The backbone of this care is formed by our 11 military Departments of
Community Mental Health (DCMHs) across the UK, plus a network of six satellite mental
health teams and a range of visiting clinics, all of which support the provision of
healthcare that is available through Service primary care facilities.</p><p>Last year,
the Secretary of State for Defence announced an additional £2million of annual funding
for military mental health services, on top of the £20million a year already spent.
Nationally, staffing in DCMHs has increased by 12 posts, and we are working with our
in-patient hospital provider (Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust) to provide additional
access to treatment through an outpatient psychotherapy service.</p>
|
|
