Pioneering initiative reduces stigma attached to mental health
Nominated category: Mental Health Award
Following the publication of the ‘The health of military personnel who deployed to the Iraq war’ in 2006, it identified a significant effect on mental health of soldiers following deployed service. To address this, The Reservist Mental Health Programme (RMHP) was established in direct response to meet the growing need of providing an improved quality mental health services for reservist military personnel.
Due to the stigma attached to mental health, access to the service was made easier via self referral using a freephone number or by GP referral, removing the need to seek approval from an individual’s chain of command. The utilisation of military mental health services to support existing NHS provision, provided an insight into mental health issues associated with military deployments that current NHS provision does not provide.
The RMHP is a joint project administered by the Defence Medical Services Department, the MoD and the Department of health and its terms of reference require access to an individual’s GP records and also require the sharing of subsequent clinical information including suggested aftercare and support from the individual’s GP. In effect, the RMHP is working as an agent of the NHS, and although offering specialised interventions due to the specialist experience of the military clinicians, all interventions follow the principals of National Institute for Clinical Excellence Mental Health guidelines.
To date, the RMHP has assessed nearly 60 individuals of which 43 have been referred to local military departments for ongoing therapy, with seven reservists having been passed as fit to resume full duties. There is much evidence demonstrating the most significant barrier to individuals accessing military mental health services is fear of stigmatisation and lack of understanding and trust. However, the development of this programme, founded upon self/GP referral helped the access process as a significant barrier was removed. The marketing of the RMHP utilised both formal and informal means of communications, with full awareness within the reservist community of this programme has been achieved.
This programme was highlighted as a pioneering initiative that was based upon empirical studies and is the very first example whereby a specific client group has been identified for care delivery that is shared between military and NHS services.