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<p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) commissions and funds a wide range of research into
the mental health of Armed Forces personnel. This work continues to produce high quality
evidence upon which we can make considered decisions about the way we manage and treat
our personnel.</p><p>In particular, we continue to fund the large-scale, ongoing independent
study (initially commissioned by the MOD in 2003) from the King's Centre for Mental
Health Research (KCMHR), which has become an important source of data on the impact
of deployment on the overall health and wellbeing of military personnel who served
in Iraq and Afghanistan. Specific work commissioned under this contract since 2010
includes research into mental health disorders in Reservists; evaluation of a Post-Operational
Stress Management programme tailored to Reservists; mental health stigma in the Armed
Forces; and a US-funded study into a possible screening tool for mental health issues.
Another significant piece of work commissioned and funded by the MOD has been a study
of alcohol use disorders, conducted by Cranfield University.</p><p>It is not possible
to provide the number of serving personnel or veterans with mental health needs at
any single point in time. However, statistics show that in financial year 2013-14,
5,040 UK Armed Forces personnel had a new episode of care for a mental disorder at
one of the MOD's Departments of Community Mental Health, the majority of whom will
have already been successfully treated and returned to work. The medical treatment
of ex-service personnel is the responsibility of the UK Departments of Health, and
the MOD continues to work closely with them to improve the mental healthcare available.</p>
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