Call over veterans' mental health

The conference will hear the numbers needing help could rise significantly

More should be done to help former members of the armed forces cope with civilian life, charities will say.

The Scottish Association for Mental Health and Poppy Scotland will make the call at the first event in Scotland to examine the mental health of veterans.

Organisations looking after former service personnel said they were increasingly seeing cases of addictions and serious mental health problems.

They are calling for medical treatment to be provided more promptly.

More than 30 charities and voluntary organisations in Scotland look after the needs of former service personnel.

One charity, Combat Stress, last year treated 428 veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The mental health of Scotland's veterans must become a national priority Billy Watson SAMH

William Sutherland, a speaker at the event who took part in the naval campaign in the Falklands in 1982, said it could take up to 15 years before a mental health issue was properly diagnosed and treated.

The Royal Navy veteran who also fought in the Gulf War in 1991, said: "Post-traumatic stress disorder has had some cost to me.

"I had to give up my civilian work on health grounds, my marriage broke up and my other long term relationship also failed.

"My life changed in 1982 and I, like many others, have had to make tremendous adjustments as a result of my military experience."

He warned that with the increasing numbers of service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the numbers needing help could rise significantly.

'Immediately accessible'

Recently, Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry VC, Britain's most highly decorated soldier, exposed the wait for NHS treatment that veterans with mental health problems can experience in England and Wales.

Now SAMH and Poppyscotland, which organised the conference at Edinburgh's Dynamic Earth, have pledged to work together to support veterans in Scotland.

Billy Watson, chief executive of SAMH, said: "SAMH shares Lance Corporal Beharry's concerns and is committed to working with Poppyscotland, the Scottish Government and other veterans' organisations to ensure that Scotland's provision for the mental health care of its veterans is immediately accessible and of the highest possible standard.

"The mental health of Scotland's veterans must become a national priority."

Jim Panton, chief executive of Poppyscotland, said with more and more veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the numbers needing help could rise significantly.