Veteran MH

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4. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/FAQ/index.htm

28 July 2009
DE00000425992
Dear Dr Keith,

Thank you for your email of 30 June requesting, under the Freedom of
Information (FOI) Act, details of plans to roll out the Veterans Community
Mental Health Trial UK wide, further to the current five trial Trusts.
Your email has been passed to me for reply.
The position is that all the pilots in England have adopted slightly
different approaches to improving access to veterans with mental health
problems. They are currently being independently evaluated by the
University of Sheffield and the results of this are expected early next
year.

In the meantime, the Operating Framework for the NHS for 2009/10, which
sets out the priorities for the service, includes the following:
`When commissioning services, PCTs [Primary Care Trusts] and providers
need to take account of military personnel, their families and veterans in
their area. PCTs will want to assure themselves that their services do
not disadvantage these groups in terms of their ability to access timely
health care or dental services. The existing arrangements giving priority
access to veterans for service-related conditions, subject to clinical
need, is an issue that all PCTs and providers should now be delivering for
all referrals.'
The expectation is, therefore, that based on the findings from the
evaluation all parts of the NHS in England will implement improved access
for veterans. You may wish to approach the devolved administrations for
information in relation to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and I have
provided links to relevant contact details:
Wales: [1]www.assemblywales.org/abthome/abt-nafw/abt-foi.htm
Scotland: [2]www.scotland.gov.uk/About/FOI
Northern Ireland: [3]www.nio.gov.uk/index/foi.htm
I hope this reply is helpful.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your
original letter and should be addressed to:

Head of the Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health
Room 317
Richmond House
79 Whitehall,
London
SW1A 2NS

Email: [4][email address]

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally,
the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints
procedure provided by the Department. The ICO can be contacted at:

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely,

David Winks
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

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1. http://www.assemblywales.org/abthome/abt...
2. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/FOI
3. http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/foi.htm
4. mailto:[email address]