Defence written question – answered at on 25 October 2010.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the recommendations relating to his Department of the report by the Government Office for Science, Foresight on Mental Capital and Wellbeing; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective wellbeing; and if he will make a statement.
holding answer
In addition to the wider approach taken by the Department of Health, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the NHS, the report's relevance to the Ministry of Defence civilian staff relates, in the main, to policies to improve well-being at work, employee support, flexible working, training and development, managing sickness absence, and providing meaningful jobs. The Department already has robust policies in place for these areas.
The Department also has a wide range of measures in place to monitor and manage the mental health and well-being of military personnel. Research by the Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health confirms that personnel benefit greatly by being within well-led units with good support from their colleagues, and managing this is a key chain of command responsibility.
The Defence Medical Services deploy uniformed mental health staff on major operations to provide advice, assessment and care to personnel in theatre. In the UK. community-based mental health care is available at 15 MOD-run regional Departments of Community Mental Health (plus centres overseas), while in-patient care, when necessary, is provided in specialist NHS mental health facilities.
We are always looking for ways in which our mental health services can be extended, and a report into the provision of mental health support to the armed forces and ex-service personnel (commissioned by the Prime Minister from my hon. Friend Dr Murrison was published earlier this month. This makes a wide-ranging number of recommendations that the MOD and Department of Health will be looking to introduce. Two of the key recommendations are due to be introduced immediately: a dedicated 24-hour support line for veterans, and the placing of 30 dedicated mental health nurses in mental health trusts to ensure the right support is organised specifically for veterans.
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