Veterans Mental Health Support

Op COURAGE is an NHS service specifically for veterans, reservists, and their families in England. It was expanded in 2020 and now provides services across all regions. Op COURAGE offers:

• Assessment and referral: A specialist mental health assessment to understand your needs and the best treatment pathway.
• Evidence-based therapies: Including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), and other NICE-recommended treatments for PTSD and related conditions.
• Peer support: Veterans supporting veterans, which many find particularly valuable.
• Transition, intervention, and liaison support (TILS): Helping veterans transition from military to NHS mental health services.
• Intensive community support: For veterans with complex needs who require more intensive community-based care.

Op COURAGE is free on the NHS. You can self-refer — you do not need a GP referral — by visiting nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/veterans or contacting your local Op COURAGE team.

Combat Stress is the UK's leading veterans' mental health charity, providing specialist treatment for veterans experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other trauma-related conditions. Services include:

• Residential treatment programmes at specialist centres (e.g., Tyrwhitt House, Audley Court) — typically 2–3 weeks of intensive therapy.
• Community outreach teams providing home visits and community-based treatment across the UK.
• Telehealth and online therapy — increasingly available to reduce geographic barriers.
• Veterans' Mental Health Helpline: 0800 138 1619 (24 hours, 7 days) — for veterans in crisis or seeking advice on accessing services.

Combat Stress accepts self-referrals and GP referrals. Waiting times for residential treatment can be significant — early referral is advised. All Combat Stress services are free to veterans.

Your GP is a key gateway to mental health support, including veteran-specific services:

• Tell your GP that you are a veteran — some practices have veteran-friendly GP champions who have received specialist training in veteran health.
• Ask to be referred to Op COURAGE or, if in Scotland, Veterans First Point.
• For crisis support, contact the NHS 111 mental health line (press 2 for mental health support) or attend your nearest A&E.
• For immediate crisis, the Samaritans (116 123) provide free, confidential support 24/7.

Veterans should also be aware of the Veterans Trauma Network — a network of specialist NHS trauma services for veterans with complex physical and psychological injuries. The VTN works alongside Op COURAGE for veterans with complex co-morbidities.

If your mental health condition was caused or significantly worsened by military service, you may be entitled to financial compensation:

• AFCS (service from 6 April 2005): PTSD and other mental health conditions are covered. A formal diagnosis and evidence of a causal link to service events are required. Awards range from Level 5 (£ moderate) to Level 11 (£ minor) depending on severity and prognosis.
• War Pension Scheme (service before 6 April 2005): Mental health conditions including anxiety neurosis and depression are claimable if attributable to service. Medical and service records are the primary evidence.

The Royal British Legion's welfare service can assist with preparing and submitting mental health compensation claims. Veterans UK (0808 1914 218) can also advise on the claims process.

NHS England has developed a suite of branded veteran mental health services that go beyond Op COURAGE's community offer. Understanding the full pathway helps you access the right level of care.

Op RESTORE is the NHS rehabilitation pathway for veterans with complex physical and psychological injuries that interact — for example, an amputee veteran who also has PTSD and chronic pain. It sits within the Veterans Trauma Network (VTN) and coordinates orthopaedic, neurological, and mental health treatment within a single care package. Referral is through your GP or directly through Op COURAGE if a mental health assessment identifies complex physical co-morbidities.

Op NOVA is the criminal justice veterans support programme — it provides mental health assessments and welfare support for veterans who have come into contact with the criminal justice system (including those on remand, serving sentences, or subject to community orders). It operates across all prison regions in England and Wales, delivered by NHS and charity partnerships. Veterans in prison or facing criminal proceedings can self-refer or be referred by prison healthcare, probation, or legal representatives. Op NOVA can provide evidence for sentencing and support post-release resettlement.

Making a complaint about NHS veterans' mental health services: If you are unhappy with the care you have received through Op COURAGE or any other NHS veterans' service, you have the right to complain. The NHS complaints procedure (under the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009) applies. Start with the provider's Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). If unresolved, escalate to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). Veterans' charities including SSAFA and the Royal British Legion can support you through the complaints process. The Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA) maintains oversight of veteran healthcare provision across England and can be a useful point of escalation for systemic failures.