Veterans F1rst Point

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(No Transcript)
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• Offering help and assistance to veterans whatever
  their needs may be

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Scope of Presentation

• What is First Point?
• How will it work?
• What services will it provide?
• What are the key issues for veterans?
• Who will we work with?
• Contact details
• Duration approx 30 minutes plus questions

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• F1rst Point

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Policy Context

• The Nations Commitment Cross Government
  Support to our Armed Forces, their families and
  Veterans published in July 2008
• Aimed at ending any disadvantage imposed by the
  unique demands of Service life today
• Public services such as education and housing are
  not disrupted by the mobile nature of Service
  life
• Promotes special treatment for those personnel,
  and where appropriate , their families , who have
  sacrificed most, suffering death or terrible
  physical and mental injury, in the course of duty
  
• Covers many aspects of civic life healthcare
  provision education and skills accommodation
  and employment opportunities

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Meeting the recommendations Mental Health
Pilots across UK

• Six mental health pilots in UK funding from
  Ministry of Defence
• V1P is the Scottish pilot comprehensive model
  supported by funding from the Scottish Government
  and NHS Lothian

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Purpose

• The aim of F1rst Point is to offer help and
  assistance to veterans, no matter what their
  needs may be
• Working with veterans we have developed a model
  which we believe will enable that aim to be
  realised.

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Facts and Figures

• 20 000 people leave the Forces every year
• 4 have diagnosed PTSD from their experiences
• 85 make the transition well to a normal
  civilian life
• 15 experience transitional and coping problems
• 25 of those likely to end up homeless and
  suffering a drug or alcohol problem
• 1 in 4 who have spent more than 13 months
  deployed in a 3 year period likely to have severe
  alcohol problems
• Estimated that 10m UK veterans in total (inc
  family dependents)
• We think there are 1m existing and about 2000 new
  veterans settling in Scotland every year (10)
  but this is not known for certain
• Sources MoD figures 2008 Kings College London
  2003 Royal British Legion 2005

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What are their needs?

• We dont know for certain but we think..
• Relationships
• Financial
• Housing
• Substance and Alcohol abuse
• Loss and bereavement
• Career, Education and Training
• Social supports (lack of)
• Offending behaviour
• Physical and mental health (note lag time to
  presenting at GP/specialist support for mental
  health issues)

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Mode of Operation

• F1rst Point acts as the conduit to match needs
  with service provider
• F1rst Point conducts an initial needs assessment,
  followed by specialised clinical needs assessment
  if required
• F1rst Point refers the veteran to the best point
  of support or assistance
• F1rst Point can undertake specialist clinical
  intervention
• Is the listening ear that understands where the
  veteran is coming from!

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Core Services

• Information and Signposting
• Social Support and being there
• Understanding
• Health and well - being

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Core Service Information and Signposting

• Welfare advice.
• Housing advice.
• General Health Advice.
• Education and support for veterans and families.
• CAB and SPVA will be offering advice clinics at
  the centre
• We will accurately identify the most appropriate
  point (s) of assistance

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Core Service Social Support

• Making connections Linking veterans to other
  veterans to local community supports and
  projects via existing ex-service support
  organisations.
• Leisure opportunities Veterans have often talked
  about feeling isolated when returning to civilian
  life. We promote healthy leisure and lifestyle
  messages.

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Core Service - Understanding

• The staff are all veterans
• Possibly, they are more attuned to the
  circumstances and likely needs of the veterans
  community and can actively listen
• The service has been designed by veterans for
  veterans so we believe that the model is a
  realistic start point.

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Core Services Health and Well-being

• On site full time specialist veterans therapist.
• NHS Evidence Based treatment
• CBT
• EMDR
• Talking therapies
• Sessions with clinical psychologist and
  psychiatrist at the centre.
• Supported by associated healthcare professionals
  as required.
• Mental Health Assessments and treatment
  programmes.
• Advice on GP and dental registration.
• Drug and alcohol education.
• We will endeavour to see the whole person, not
  just the presented problem.

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Operational Issues

• Credibility
• Access
• Co-ordination
• These have been cited as the biggest risks and
  potential barriers to the success of the project
  (taken from the advisory group and experiences of
  recent clients at the trauma service)
• Will veterans use the service? This is what the
  pilot project aims to identify

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Credibility

• Main stream services not always seen as credible.
• Perception amongst veterans groups that no one
  really knows about their needs
• We are employing core staff who know and
  understand these needs which will hopefully allow
  greater engagement with this hard to reach
  minority group
• All F1rst Point staff will receive appropriate
  training and ongoing supervision.
• Opportunities for volunteering F1rst Point will
  create opportunities for veterans to work as
  volunteers, providing training and support for
  volunteers to widen the coverage of support
  workers.

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Accessibility

• A convenient, self referral and drop in service
  to reduce any barriers to access.
• Location F1rst Point will be located in
  Edinburghs West End, accessible by public
  transport links and is in a non-stigmatising
  office building.
• Private appointments can be booked over the
  telephone or through email.
• Families and partners can also access the service
• A website will offer 24 hr information and self
  help guides with further contact details
• The website will run discussion forums for people
  wishing to remain anonymous but still wishing to
  access services (this will be subject to a
  special private login code)
• If required, our peer support workers will
  walk/bus with the veteran to a referred service
  or meet them at the station!

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Co-ordination

• The veteran may have a wide range of problems and
  issues that all need to be addressed
• A large number of agencies may be involved
  recognising the depth and breadth of knowledge
  and experience of delivery partner agencies and
  linking them is key
• F1rst Point will serve as a conduit for
  agencies, matching needs with providers

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Partners (only a few of the 40)

• Regular Forces
• Employment Agency
• Royal British Legion Scotland
• Scottish Government
• Service Personnel and Veterans agency
• Service Veterans Residencies Agency
• SSAFA
• Thistle Foundation
• Turning point
• Veterans Scotland
• And many more..!

• Army Welfare Service
• BLESMA
• Career Transition Partnership
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• Combat Stress
• Edinburgh Crisis Centre
• Edinburgh Homeless Practice
• Erskine Foundation
• Houses for Heroes
• Ministry of Defence
• NHS and GPs network
• Officers Association
• Poppy Scotland

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Making Referrals

• By letter/fax
• By phone
• By email
• No special forms
• Clients can drop in or self refer
• Greatly reduced waiting lists often immediate
  service from the peer support team!

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Conclusions

• Cross party interest group and major steering
  group supported by all Scottish veterans
  charities and organisations
• F1rst Point is not an umbrella body but an
  information and advice point, which aims to
  signpost veterans to the most appropriate support
  organisation

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Questions please

• Veterans F1rst Point
• Charlotte House
• 2 South Charlotte Street
• Edinburgh
• 0131 220 9920
• www.veteransfirstpoint.org.uk
• enquiries_at_veteransfirstpoint.org.uk

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• Offering help and assistance to veterans whatever
  their needs may be