A: It is never too late to reach out for help. You are doing it now and it might have taken you a while to realise you had an issue or to face the truth. As soon as you start to take action, you can start to feel better. Fill in the Needs Help Button, look at on-line MH tools like Headfit and see your GP if you have not done so already. Your GP should be able to refer you to TILS (specialist veteran MH service and if the wait looks too long, we will step in to provide you with treatment (see Veterans Referral Pathway section)
A: Largely this will depend on how much you are able to put into the treatment sessions and how long you have been suffering. Sometimes long-term mental health problems require a combination of both life-style changes, a general wellness plan and specialist mental health treatment. We will work with you to look at all aspects of your wellbeing including employment and life changes so that you can recover as soon as possible
A: Yes, provided that you are ready to work with a therapist to address your core issues and that the time is right for you to undertake treatment. Sometimes it is necessary to address issues such as housing, employment, stable relationships before it is wise to embark on treatment sessions. We can discuss this with you during your assessment. Sometimes treatment which hasn’t worked in the past, can work now if it is carefully planned and you are matched to the right therapist
Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway (VMHRP) Frequently Asked Questions:
RMA-TRMC supports ex-service personnel, however if your discharge date has been agreed and you’re registered with a GP we can support you in your last 12 weeks of service as you transition from the military. We would do this in partnership with your Medical Officer or your DCMH practitioner.
The VMHRP is primarily, though not exclusively, for veterans that are struggling with service-related mental illness since their discharge from service and where the NHS Veterans Service are unable to meet their treatment needs in a timely manner.
VMHRP are able to accept self referrals, however it is preferred that referrals are submitted by a healthcare professional e.g. NHS Teams, DCMH, other charity clinicians. It is important that your GP or secondary mental health services are involved in your treatment plan. Your NHS Veterans service or your GP should be your first point of call.
It is a requirement that you are registered with a local GP before a referral is submitted to Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway.
No, if your referral is approved, up to 12 sessions will primarily be funded for you through charitable donations.
Therapists who support Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway typically require a 48 hour notice period. Therefore, appointments need to be cancelled in advance of 48 hours of your appointment. Due to therapy being funded by charitable donations, if you fail to attend your appointment or cancel outside of the notice period we are unable to fund extra appointments to replace the appointment(s) unattended, and funding may be withdrawn altogether.
If you have special requirements let or Clinical Case Manager who leads the Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway know in advance and where reasonable requirements will be met. On meeting your therapist, please remember therapy can be challenging and as with many things in life you’ll get out of it what you put into it. It’s not necessary to like your therapist but it helps if you trust and respect them. If you have concerns with your therapist it’s perfectly acceptable for you to talk these through with them. If they cannot be resolved please inform the clinical case manager.
To avoid duplication of treatment and confusion it is preferred you complete current treatments with your existing care provider before accessing Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway.
No, the NHS takes primacy in providing support and therefore need to be explored in all cases before a Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway referral is considered. However, if your local NHS have waiting times in excess of 12 weeks for treatment and/or your mild to moderate mental health needs cannot be met by the NHS, then Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway will consider your referral.
We endeavour to source a therapist within a 20 mile radius of where you live; this radius accounts for those in rural remote areas. Many therapists do offer online therapy now and this does suit some of our beneficiaries.
Yes, If you have previously had successful therapeutic intervention such as CBT and EMDR with Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway or other providers, and you believe you require a top up of therapy, then VMHRP would consider approving further sessions in blocks of 6. If this applies to you, please ensure your referrer includes this in their referral.
Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway primarily supports individuals with mild to moderate depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder and PTSD who can benefit from 12 weeks of face to face therapy. Typically, this includes a recent onset of symptoms, which haven’t required previous treatment. We will consider your individual requirements and establish a treatment plan to alleviate the worst of your symptoms. For some people, this may mean we offer a course of stabilisation sessions only. Each case is carefully assessed dependent on your clinical needs. If your needs require longer term care and additional resources, then the Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway will not be the most appropriate service for you, but we will help you find appropriate support.
Once your referral has been approved, Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway will post you some introductory information. Within this pack a consent form (with freepost envelope) will be provided. If at this point you would like to engage with Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway and commence therapy, you will be required to return the consent form within 3 weeks. On receiving your consent, Veterans Mental Health Referral Pathway will aim to allocate you a therapist within 10 working days. Your appointment with the therapist can be scheduled the very next day, or in a couple of weeks depending on your and the therapist’s availability.