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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support is available to recently demobilised reservists who suffer stress related illnesses related to the difficulty of readjusting to civilian life.[R] [147037] Mr. Caplin: The MOD and Department of Health officials are working together to maximise the delivery of mental health services to all Veterans. Those reservists who deployed to Iraq during OP TELIC can be seen at the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) on referral by their doctor. Where appropriate, the Programme will refer them to a country-wide network of specialist psychiatrists and psychologists for expert assessment and diagnosis. The GVMAP pays for this, including the patient's travel costs. In addition, at the end of each deployment all personnel, including reservists, undergo a period of "normalisation" as a measure to minimise the possibility of stress related disorders. They also receive a presentation about post traumatic stress reactions and are given information leaflets, covering post traumatic stress reactions and the problems which may be encountered on returning home. Reservists will also be provided with details of service related charities such as Combat Stress, SSAFA and the RBL.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

416 c763W;416 c761W; 147037

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Armed conflict Iraq Mental health services Reserve forces Stress Iraq conflict Post-traumatic stress disorder

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk