Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Support for veterans of armed forces
A specialist service that provides “accessible, credible and co-ordinated” support for Monklands veterans and their families held an awareness event to mark Armed Forces Day.
Veterans First Point ( V1P) Lanarkshire seeks to support veterans in all aspects of their lives, including welfare, housing, mental and physical wellbeing.
The free-to-use initiative, which is staffed by a specialist team of psychologists, psychological therapists and veteran peer support workers, co-hosted the gathering with the Veterans Cafe at the King’s (VC@ the KC) in Motherwell.
V1P’s Dr Jennifer Ring, counselling psychologist of NHS Lanarkshire, said she hopes the positive relationship between the two organisations will lead to more exciting events in the future. Dr Ring added: “The key aim of this event was to provide a space for networking and camaraderie – and to showcase all the resources available for veterans in Lanarkshire.
“V1P works in close partnership with many agencies and organisations – many of whom were represented on the day – with the shared aim of supporting our veteran community.”
V1P Lanarkshire is a close partnership between veterans, NHS Lanarkshire, the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and the Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health (LAMH).
As well as accepting referrals from across health and social care, including the voluntary sector, V1P also accepts self-referrals.
Veteran peer support workers ( PSWs) are all ex-servicemen or women and – crucially – offer a first point of contact for anyone approaching the service.
Dr Maria Gascon, consultant psychologist of NHS Lanarkshire who leads V1P, explained: “The PSWs ensure that veterans see someone, from the very outset, who understands the military context and has first-hand experience of the issues involved in transition from military to civilian life.
“PSWs and clinical staff then work collaboratively, ensuring that veterans receive co- ordinated support, appropriate to their needs at the time.
“People can contact us by email, phone or can just turn up to one of our access points.
“We will then arrange a registration appointment with one of our PSWs, where a full assessment of the veteran’s needs will be carried out and an individual plan created.”
V1P will accept self- referrals, or referrals from other agencies (statutory and voluntary sector), by phone on 0300 303 3051 or email at LanarkshireV1P@lanarkshire.scot. nhs.uk
The VC@ the KC runs every Friday at the King’s Church between 10am and 2pm.