The mental health needs of serving and ex-Service personnel
A systematic review
Researchers:
Daniel Phillips,
Anna Marcinkiewicz,
Robert Wishart,
Emma Forsyth,
Anysia Nguyen,
Sarah Lynch-Huggins,
Fiona Gogescu,
Adam Gilbert,
Sokratis Dinos,
Martina Vojtkova,
John Eyers,
David Denney
Published: May 2020
A systematic review
Aims
The study brings together evidence on the prevalence of mental health problems in serving and ex-Service personnel and their families, the experiences of those suffering from mental health problems and the effectiveness of interventions used to treat them.
Findings
A full summary of the findings and recommendations from the study is available in the executive summary available below.
Some selected recommendations from the study include the following:
- Earlier identification of ‘at-risk individuals’ and early intervention to prevent escalation of mental health problems.
- Improved awareness amongst healthcare professionals of the needs of ex-Service personnel and their entitlement to priority support.
- Greater connectivity between Armed Forces and civilian services, to manage the transition to civilian life and ensure ex-Service personnel do not slip through the net.
- Increased education on mental health and stigma for military personnel and their families, to support help seeking and address concerns around career impacts.
Methods
The research combined a systematic review (a rigorous and systematic process to find and select research studies, then synthesise their findings) with a set of interviews with stakeholders from the Ministry of Defence (MOD), NHS England, veteran charities and academic institutions.
Download the executive summary
Download the full report
Download the technical annex