Islington Tribune - News: Veterans’ stress plight

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 7 December 2007

Veterans’ stress plight

EX-SERVICE personnel who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress.
Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust has been awarded a pilot contract to provide mental health care for all forces veterans in London.
The service, based at the trust’s traumatic stress clinic in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia – where victims of the July 7 bombings were treated – will be run by Dr Ian Palmer, a professor of military psychiatry.
Approximately seven per cent of all troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have been diagnosed with mental health disorders.
Trust chief executive Wendy Wallace said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by the Ministry of Defence for this vital work and we hope we can get the news to all London GPs, and to ex-service people themselves, that there is now a service designed especially for them.”
Consultant psychologist in charge of the unit, Mary Robertson, said some ex-service personnel suffered from depression, anxiety, substance misuse problems, interpersonal difficulties and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“The NHS needs to respond better to this,” she added.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment:

Your Comments: