What we are

Cobseo consists of over 300 charities and organisations; it is a membership organisation representing, promoting and furthering the interests of the Armed Forces Community.

Charitable support is maximised to this community through co-operation, co-ordination, cohesion and, where appropriate, co-location of organisations working in the sector.

Cobseo provides a single point of contact for interaction with Government, including local government and the Devolved Administrations; with the Royal Household; with the Private Sector; and, of course, with other members of the Armed Forces Community. This allows Cobseo Members to interact with all interested parties and especially to cooperate and collaborate with others in order to provide the best possible level of support to beneficiaries.

Cobseo Cluster groups are working groups within Cobseo (covering areas including Employment, Housing, Care and Research, among others) where organisations that specialise in these specific areas can raise issues, identify solutions and make recommendations for improvements and action.

Get in touch

Tel: 0207 811 3200
Email: enquiries@cobseo.org.uk
Web: www.cobseo.org.uk

Today, we provide specialist treatment and support for veterans with complex mental health issues. 

Our free 24-hour Helpline provides confidential mental health advice. You, or your family, friends or carers, can contact us anytime, day or night, for help. 

Our specialist team will help you find the right support to tackle the past and take on the future.

“You don’t want to admit that there is a problem, but I knew it had got to the point where I was going to do something really stupid if I didn’t get help.

“It was a relief to know that there was actually something wrong with me, and that I wasn’t just a horrible person. It was a difficult process, but it has changed my life. I still have moments, but I now have the tools to overcome them.

“Quite simply, without Combat Stress I would be dead or doing life in jail…and I mean that. Make the call. You’re not going to get anywhere trying to do it on your own.”

Pete was deployed in 1975 to Northern Ireland during the height of the tensions. Throughout this time, he unknowingly battled with mental health issues, before things reached breaking point when he retired from the Army.

Eventually, 11 years after leaving the Army, Pete made the call to Combat Stress. He underwent a range of treatment programmes and has since rediscovered his drive and passion for life

Get in touch

For confidential mental health advice, please contact our 24-hour Helpline:

Tel: 0800 138 1619
Text: 07537 404 719
Email: helpline@combatstress.org.uk
Web: www.combatstress.org.uk

KCMHR is the leading civilian centre of excellence for military health research in the UK and its work has helped shape government policy towards military personnel.

King’s College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world and has more than 27,600 students (of whom nearly 10,500 are graduate students) from 150 countries worldwide, and 6,800 staff.  King’s has an outstanding reputation for world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. It has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs.

Get in touch

Tel:+44 (0)20 7848 5351
Email: kcmhr@kcl.ac.uk
Web: www.kcl.ac.uk/kcmhr

The mental health and wellbeing of service personnel, whether regulars or reservists, their families and veterans is a priority for the government.

Serving personnel

The MOD and Defence Medical Services have worked hard to improve the mental health services available to those serving in the armed forces (including mobilised reservists). We have implemented many new interventions including deploying expert mental health professionals to the front line and ensuring that briefing on the support available, assessment and treatment (if required) is offered to every serviceman and woman both before and after deployment.

These improvements have seen stress management being embedded throughout the armed forces, with mental health awareness training, caring leadership and effective line management skills becoming a priority for all levels. We are making a concerted effort to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and further promote awareness of the medical care and support available.

If someone thinks they have a mental health condition or just wants someone to speak to, they can ask for help from any medical officer or their chain of command. All units are supported by non-medical personal that are able to signpost to the relevant service. This includes Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) Practitioners (individuals trained in assessing the risk of problems associated with traumatic events) and chaplains.

Personnel can then either be treated for mental health problems by their medical officer in their unit medical centre, or referred to specialist mental healthcare services.

Specialist mental health services are primarily delivered through 16 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs) located in large military centres across the UK, as well as centres overseas. UK DCMHs are staffed by psychiatrists, mental health nurses, clinical psychologists and mental health social workers.

A wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments are available, including medication, psychological therapies, social support and a change of environment where appropriate.

For some personnel there may be a fear that presenting for help with a mental health problem may damage their opportunities to remain in the armed forces. More than 70% of those who do present to DCMHs are returned to full fitness and can continue a productive career. Of those that don’t, many are satisfied with the outcome of leaving the armed forces. Only 3 to 4% of personnel are medically discharged as a result of a mental health problem. It must be noted that to ensure a continuation of care, individuals are still able to access defence mental health services up to 6 months after discharge.

Reservists

Mobilised reservists receive care in the same way as regular personnel. Non-mobilised reservists remain under the care of NHS services, and can also access occupational health services via the Defence Medical Services, which addresses their fitness to serve.

The Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme , run in partnership with the NHS is staffed by both military and civilian clinicians with extensive military experience and knowledge.

The service offers free advice and is open to all current or former members of the UK volunteer and regular reserves who have been demobilised since 1 January 2003, following operational deployment overseas as a reservist and who believe that their deployment may have affected their mental health.

Service families and veterans

In the UK, the NHS is responsible for delivering healthcare for the families of those serving and veterans. Mental healthcare is a multi-agency delivery effort and the MOD and UK Department of Health are working with the NHS and service charities, including Combat Stress, to promote awareness of veterans’ and service family issues.

In addition, Help for Heroes Hidden Wounds provides free and confidential support to Veterans, their families and the families of those currently serving who are suffering with anxiety, depression, stress, anger or alcohol. The service is easily accessible, with support delivered by phone, Skype or face to face.

Veterans can also access services ran by the Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme (VRMHP) as above.

The MOD provide healthcare services to families who are registered with Defence Medical Services, including those who accompany their serving family member when posted to our major bases overseas.

The VSO was established to develop the capacity to deliver the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland. We achieve this by developing strong working links between Devolved Government Departments, Local Government Veterans’ Champions and the voluntary and charitable sector. This ensures that Veterans living in Northern Ireland do not experience disadvantage as a result of their Service in the Armed Forces and have the same access to services and support as any other citizen. 

How do we do it?

The VSO has 5 main tasks:

• To be a trusted point of contact for Veterans whose needs are not being met.
• To be a single point of contact for all organisations providing services for Veterans.
• To develop a coherent and coordinated approach to support Veterans.
• To increase the quantity and scope of services available by promoting and guiding access to Armed Forces Covenant Trust Funding.
• To achieve and monitor outcomes in all the above and communicate these outcomes appropriately.

The office is located at the heart of government as part of the Cabinet Office and works with all UK Government departments and a large range of other private, charity and public sector organisations who collectively deliver support and services to veterans.

Web: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-veterans-affairs

Psychological trauma manifests in many ways, from mild disturbance on being reminded of traumatic events through to full-blown PTSD. PTSD is a carefully defined medical and legal entity, and not everyone with post-traumatic symptoms will qualify for a diagnosis. However, if you are experiencing psychological distress, including PTSD, we can usually help you if you have been in the UK armed forces.

Symptoms of military PTSD can include flashbacks and nightmares involving one of more traumatic events that you may have experienced during military service. If this applies to you, then you can contact us confidentially for details of help available near you. Contact PTSD Resolution by phone on 0300 302 0551.

We’ll discuss your needs, advise you of your eligibility for help, describe how the programme works and then put you in touch with a local therapist who is registered for the PTSD Resolution programme. You then attend a course of sessions with a qualified therapist. The programme involves usually five or six one-hour therapy sessions. This is on a one-to-one, out-patient basis with the therapist, until symptoms are relieved. All therapy is entirely confidential.

Get in touch

Tel: 0300 302 0551
Email: contact@ptsdresolution.org
Web: https://ptsdresolution.org/

Bravo 22 Company

As part of its physical and mental wellbeing support, the Royal British Legion’s Bravo 22 Company has been successfully running theatre and art projects across the UK for the last five years. The regional projects are open to all members of the Armed Forces Community, including serving personnel, veterans and their family members. These projects are designed to help people along their individual paths of recovery by improving self-esteem, confidence and motivation.

From performing on stage, script writing and set design, to creating life-size sculptures, Bravo 22 Company is a great way to meet other people, learn new skills and tell your story through the arts.

There’s no need for any previous experience in theatre or art to get involved, just a willingness to try something new.

 

“When I heard about Bravo 22 I thought, ‘this is something I’ve never done before. It will take me out of my comfort zone and really challenge me’. I needed something to do. I was retreating back into myself after undergoing rehab. I’m not arty at all but I really got into it. It allowed me to express my emotions, and helped me to vent it in a controlled manner.  It’s given me a sense of pride again and it’s proved that although I have suffered quite extensive injuries I can do anything if I set my mind to it.”

Dave Pegram took part in the Bravo 22 Art of Recovery project in 2016

Get in touch

Royal British Legion
Tel: 0808 802 8080
Email: info@britishlegion.org.uk
Web: www.britishlegion.org.uk

or visit your local Pop In Centre

Bravo 22 Company

Email: bravo22company@britishlegion.org.uk<a
Web: www.britishlegion.org.uk/Bravo22

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland and has a range of responsibilities that include: the economy, education, health, justice, rural affairs, housing, environment, equal opportunities, consumer advocacy and advice, transport and taxation.

Web: www.gov.scot

Togetherall (formerly Big White Wall) is a digital mental health service for people aged 16+. It is available to serving members of the UK military, reservists, veterans and their family members aged 16+.

Togetherall services for the Armed Forces include:

Support Network

24/7 professionally moderated online peer support, self-management information, creative arts and writing therapies.

Guided Support

Structured online group courses on common mental health issues including anxiety and depression, plus smoking cessation, weight management and alcohol use.

Togetherall is free and completely anonymous and can be accessed privately from a place of your choosing. All you need is an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone, join us or find out more.

“Togetherall allows me to express my feeling fully without fear of condemnation, I can display my feeling knowing that I won’t be judged. The responses were meaningful and you can really feel others concerns. I am able to communicate with people like myself. Depression and PTSD is a really lonely place, even today you can still feel the stigma.  The military don’t feel that the pain we go through, mental health is not truly recognised by our peers and counterparts. Just because you can see the pain they think you’re making it up, or you want an easy time of it?”

RAF Veteran – February 2016

Get in touch

Web: www.togetherall.com/en-gb
Armed Forces log-in/sign-up: https://account.v2.togetherall.com/register/uk-armed-forces

The Poppy Factory’s employability service supports wounded, injured and sick veterans back into meaningful and sustainable employment. Our employment support is available to individuals who have served for one day or more in the Armed Forces or Reserves, and consider themselves to have any kind of physical or mental health condition. The Poppy Factory’s employability consultants are based regionally throughout England and Wales, offering regular one-to-one remote contact with veterans.They help each veteran research and apply for job opportunities in their region, and offer ongoing in-work support.

Web: www.poppyfactory.org

At The Ripple Pond every member’s views and experiences are equally valued. How much support you give and receive can depend on what feels right for you at different times. Members may focus on talking and discussion or may choose to do activities together.

Web: www.theripplepond.org

We are a charity and are classified as a Non-Departmental Public Body. We look after the Armed Forces Covenant Fund, worth £10M each year.

Web: www.covenantfund.org.uk

We help blind ex-Service men and women lead independent and fulfilling lives by supporting them with our in-depth expertise, experience and full range of services. We give veterans much-needed support to adjust to sight loss, overcome the challenges of blindness and enjoy daily life.

Web: www.blindveterans.org.uk

Today it continues to deliver fresh insights that enable health professionals, service providers, policy-makers, patients, offenders and their families to explore opportunities to: improve safety and reduce risk; prevent suicide and self-harm; combat the stigma of mental illness.

Web: www.research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/cmhs

A psychophysiology and cognitive neuroscience perspective is adopted in which the underlying neurobehavioural mechanisms of clinically relevant behaviours are identified. We design tasks to examine learning and generalisation of fear and avoidance, amongst other topics, in healthy and patient populations.

Web: www.dymondlab.org/research

We are the professional membership body for GPs in the UK. Our purpose is to encourage, foster and maintain the highest possible standards in general medical practice. We support GPs through all stages of their career, from medical students considering general practice, through to training, qualified years and retirement.

On average, each GP is responsible for up to 50 ex-military patients. Veterans may have health conditions attributable to their time in the military. Ensuring that all GPs in England are equipped to best serve our armed forces veterans and their families is a key commitment in the NHS Long Term Plan.

The health needs of military veterans can differ significantly to those of other patients. Recognising that veterans have specific medical needs is the first step to providing healthcare to this group of patients.

The RCGP has produced a Veterans’ Healthcare Toolkit containing guidance on how to manage veterans’ healthcare needs as well as advice on how to care for patients who may have been affected by their service careers.The RCGP is also working alongside NHS England to accredit practices as ‘Veteran Friendly’. This is a simple process where practices are required to meet specified criteria and provide evidence that they are supportive of veterans’ healthcare.

Web:www.rcgp.org.uk

Our aim is to provide high-quality evidence-based information on the long-term health of military veterans, to act as an evidence base for policy makers, planners and service providers and to counter the potentially damaging myths and misconceptions about veterans’ health which have developed.

We also carry out research on the health of serving personnel, especially in areas where there may be an impact on long-term health extending into life as a veteran, in order to inform planning for preventive strategies.

Web:www.gla.ac.uk

Web: www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/

Visiting Fellows provide additional expertise in psychiatry, clinical psychology and criminal justice. Since our inception, we’ve published reports and academic papers relating to both commissioned research and to areas of specific research interest.

Our research team has a growing domestic and international profile and is involved in NATO research on military to civilian transition and sexual violence, as well as collaborative work with universities from the Netherlands, United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

We’re represented on a number of national expert groups including the Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO) cluster groups on Criminal Justice, Foreign and Commonwealth Personnel & Families and Research, as well as the NHS England Veterans Mental Health Round Table Group.

We are also proud to host the Forces in Mind Research Centre and Veterans & Families Research Hub, a jointly-funded project to develop an online research repository and collaboration environment.

Web: www.aru.ac.uk/veterans-and-families-institute

Our vision is to:

• Provide subject matter expertise and a focal point of consultation to our partners within the North West of England for the betterment of military veterans and their family’s wellbeing
• Support a vibrant, inspirational and innovative learning environment to provide a rewarding academic experience to: University of Chester personnel and academic partners, Clinical, welfare and military staff who provide care or services to the military community, Local authority partners engaged in the care and support of veterans and The veteran population
• Grow a robust research profile that will have a positive impact on veteran’s health and healthcare at regional, national and international level, this profile will embrace new technologies and creative methodologies to address issues that negatively affect the wellbeing of the military population
• Be dynamic and enterprising in our response to new opportunities; Develop positive wide-reaching partnerships with higher education institutions, businesses, third sector organisations including charities, veterans associations and the military population.

Web: www1.chester.ac.uk/westminster-centre-research-veterans

Each year approximately 15,000 people leave the UK Armed Forces and for the vast majority they transition successfully into the civilian world, their lives having been enormously enriched by their time in service. However, some need additional support, and it is these most vulnerable people that Forces in Mind Trust exists to help.

Web: www.fim-trust.org

The Veterans’ Foundation is one of the country’s fastest-growing military charities and we are proud to work with hundreds of smaller charities and charitable organisations across the UK that share our passion: to provide a better life for our Armed Forces family who are in need (our beneficiaries).

We help our partner organisations by supporting them to deliver life-changing projects through our grant award scheme. Our supporters are the heartbeat of the Veterans’ Foundation and through kind donations, fundraising events and by playing our popular Veterans’ Lottery, challenges are being faced, overcome, and lives are changing for the better.

Web: www.veteransfoundation.org.uk