My Dad came back from the second word world war a changed man. He had photos of his comrades taken in Egypt, Israel, and Italy. The horrors of war must have taken its toll on him as he spent most of his time at the war veterans legion, hitting the bottle and spending less time with us. I don’t ever recall having a decent conversation with my dad until well into my early twenties, the sad thing about it was he was dying.
After I moved to London in the seventies, I worked for a Human Rights Organisation. It was the first time I had come face to face with victims of war ranging from asylum seekers, refugees and even a Russian KGB agent from Moscow who claimed political asylum. This experience had an impact on my thinking and attitude to life.
Most of these poor unfortunate souls suffered from post-traumatic stress and the majority of them were men. As I was not equipped to deal with them, I would refer them to the Medical Foundation. It is a wonderful foundation which specializes in mental and psychological trauma.
What was it like for WWII soldiers to return home after the war ended?
Read Bryan Cockel, When I was a kid in the 60’s, The War was only about twenty years past. It seemed that everyone’s dads and uncles (and mothers and aunts in some cases) served, many overseas. Here is what I heard of what it was like for them after returning home, understanding that many were very tight-lipped about the extraordinary experiences they’d had, particularly my father. Read more .>>>……..
Armed forces healthcare: how it works
NHS and MOD working in Partneship
The partnership between the NHS and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has enabled the armed forces to provide modern and advanced clinical care, and give its medical staff the broadest and most up-to-date training and experience.
Structure
Medical services are delivered to servicemen and women by the MoD, the NHS, charities and welfare organisations.
The MoD is responsible for providing:
- primary care: such as general practice, dentistry, occupational medicine and community mental health services within the UK and at defence outposts overseas.
- specialist healthcare: such as secondary care and rehabilitation through the Headley Court Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre.
Services are staffed by regular uniformed and reserve medical personnel from all three services: the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
Military casualties
Armed forces personnel returning from operations for treatment in the UK usually go to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), which is also the home of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM).
During their treatment at QEHB, most military patients are grouped together in a secure trauma ward staffed by military and NHS medical staff.
The RCDM and UHB have earned an excellent reputation for treating the complex injuries typical of military casualties.
Mental health 
All serving personnel receive their mental health care through MoD-commissioned services.
Military mental health professionals are sent on operations overseas, so they can provide assessment and care in the field.
In the UK, mental health services work alongside community-based mental health services, to ensure they follow national best practice guidelines.
Care is offered at 15 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) across the UK (and smaller centres abroad), which provide outpatient mental health care.
Inpatient mental health care services in the UK are provided under contract by a partnership of eight NHS trusts.
This is led by the South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Service personnel are assessed, stabilised and treated in hospitals as close to their home or parent unit as possible.
The priority is to return injured servicemen and women to work as quickly as possible.
The trusts providing inpatient healthcare are:
- South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS Grampian
- Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Transition and Veterans Health
Everyone leaving the armed forces is given a summary of their medical records, which they are advised to give to their new NHS doctor when they register with them.
A rigorous handover process – known as the Seriously Injured Leavers Protocol (SILP) – is in place for veterans with health care requirements after leaving the forces.
Subject to the clinical needs of others, veterans are also entitled to priority NHS treatment for any condition that may have been caused during service.
Individuals within the non-serving armed forces community can access all NHS services, including those services set up to meet the needs of veterans, like prosthetics and mental health.
The Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme (VRMHP) (formerly the Medical Assessment Programme) provides mental health assessments for veterans and reservists who have concerns about their mental health as a result of service.
Mum and Dad surprise daughter after returning from War
Ninene says
September 3, 2016 at 12:13 amSuch a great informative article. After what these individuals sacrificed, it’s good to see that there are adequate health both physical and mental for them. Some of these guys don’t even return home, we should be thankful for the ones who do.
It’s such special monents if they get to see their kids again, even if they changed like you mentioned. My heart goes out to each and every family that needs to go through this. As a mom, I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like. Thanks for the info
Ninene says
September 3, 2016 at 12:21 amSuch a great informative article. After what these individuals sacrificed, it’s good to see that there are adequate health both physical and mental for them. Some of these guys don’t even return home, we should be thankful for the ones who do.
It’s such special monents if they get to see their kids again, even if they changed like you mentioned. My heart goes out to each and every family that needs to go through this. As a mom, I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like. Thanks for the info
Richard says
September 3, 2016 at 7:45 amThanks Ninene for the feedback. We all would love to see the end of wars so we can live in peace and harmony and that Dads can be a part of a family unit once again
Deedee says
September 5, 2016 at 12:47 amI’m so thankful to see all of the resources that are available now to dads returning from military service. It wasn’t the case when I was young, and all of the men in my family suffered quietly with what they had seen and endured. Our veterans give so much of themselves for us, and it’s good to see that their health upon return, especially their mental health, is being made a priority now! Thanks for sharing this.
Richard says
September 5, 2016 at 9:14 amThanks Dee
Many a Dad suffered in silence or spoke to a pint instead of opening up. I am just so grateful there are professional bodies who can help those who suffer from trauma
Kiev says
September 5, 2016 at 1:57 amHi Richard, I didn’t know there are so many types of healthcare services provided for those impacted so much by the war until today. I think reuniting with their family, especially spouse and kids, are the biggest joy when they came back from the chaos of the battlefield. Great article that I wish I can give you thousands of thumbs-up on it…
Richard says
September 5, 2016 at 9:12 amThanks so much for the kind comments. Family is important having a Dad around completes the circle
Andrew G says
September 7, 2016 at 11:32 pmThank you for providing this information. I have many relatives who served but thankfully not in this war of such magnitude. People’s lives were at risk for the good of others and I understand why. My uncle had to do some research an some soilders that were recovered as war heroes and many are coming out and talking about this years later.
Richard says
September 8, 2016 at 7:16 pmHi Andrew
I am delighted that my Post on Dads and War was of some help. There are not many websites about Dads and war so I thought I would include it in my post as it plays a very important part in family life.I think war veterans deserve a special place in society
Ganardineroporcjc says
October 25, 2017 at 9:56 pmHi Richard,
I find it very sad to think of all those parents who participated in a war without undoubtedly wanting it, all that they lost. His affections, his family, is my most fervent desire that our humanity change. On the other hand, I want to congratulate you on all your achievements and your personal success story. I am Argentine and I am very sorry about what happened between both countries. I visited England in 1987, I was very happy there. Regards!
Richard says
October 26, 2017 at 12:20 amThanks so much for your input. I still think war is a waste of human life and its always the women and children who are casualties of war. The war between Argentine and the United Kingdom should never have happened. Thank God it only lasted ten weeks which was long enough.
stella says
December 1, 2017 at 1:33 pmThis is a very informative article. It is quite unfortunate that fathers and (mothers in some cases) have to leave their families to go to a death zone and if they survive and come home, they change and become strangers to their families. A lot of families have suffered because of war and we are yet to see the end of it.
Its good to know that there are centers opened to help the veterans, more people need to know about this as some families having been going through a lot of pain caused by the aftermath of war. Thank you for posting this.
Richard says
December 1, 2017 at 1:51 pmThanks so much for the reply .. Dads returning from war suffer from post transfer stress and need all the emotional support their country can offer.