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| ISHERWOOD: NORTH EAST WALES VETERANS NOT AWARE OF SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO THEM | | Print | |
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Press release /Datganiad i’r wasg Tel: 07728090861Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it www.markisherwood.com June 24 2010 ISHERWOOD: NORTH EAST WALES VETERANS NOT AWARE OF SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO THEMVETERANS who met with a politician at the North East Wales Veterans Group 2010 Armed Forces Day in Rhyl on Saturday told him that the support the Welsh Government is providing for the armed forces and veterans is not filtering through to them.Welsh Conservative AM, Mark Isherwood, was concerned to hear that the veterans are not receiving the necessary information on the services that they could access and therefore following the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government’s Statement this week on Veterans and Serving Members of the Armed Forces in Wales, asked the Minister how he intends to share information more widely.Addressing Carl Sargeant, Mr Isherwood, who on Friday will be attending the funeral in Ysceifiog, Flintshire, of Lance Corporal Alan Cochran of the first battalion of the Mercian Regiment, said: “You referred to prioritising NHS treatment for health conditions that are attributable to military service. From my discussion with veterans and senior legion representatives in Rhyl on Saturday, no-one is aware of that—the message is not getting through.“One of them had been to his GP the previous week and the GP did not know about it. They were asking whether leaflets were being sent to GP surgeries and whether hospital staff, clinicians and nurses were being informed. How will you ensure that they are aware of the rights of veterans who are entitled to these services?”Mr Isherwood also challenged the Minister over housing for soldiers, which he was told at the Rhyl event is a key concern, especially for the most junior ranks. “I believe that there was a UK Government commitment to upgrade the housing stock, including houses for junior ranks by 2020. I would be grateful if you could confirm that you will be pursuing that, not only with the UK Government, but in terms of the devolved contribution that you might be able to make on that.”Mr Isherwood welcomed the Minister’s reference in his statement to the establishment of an expert group to advise the Assembly Government on issues affecting veterans, and emphasised that a group set up by Colwyn Bay former Trooper, Chris O’Neill, could play a role in this.He told the Minister: “I am aware that, on 3 June, Chris O’Neill wrote to you and that you have to respond by 24 June. I know that he has not yet received your response. Chris has been instrumental in setting up a group in north Wales, involving statutory and voluntary bodies and Plaid Cymru MP, Elfyn Llwyd, who has led on some of these issues in Westminster - and he asked for their group to be included in your group.“I know that you have had your first meeting, but I would welcome a positive response on that, given the wide range of agencies already involved and the wide range of veterans with complex issues, whom they have come across, including homelessness, substance misuse, involvement with the criminal justice system, mental health problems and problems adapting to civilian life. They recognise that veterans will engage with veterans and cannot simply rely on statutory services to integrate and make that transition back into civilian life.” Mr Isherwood also questioned the Minister over the lack of support for Pathways, the Gwynedd based centre which provides support for veterans throughout the country who have complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).He said: “I have a letter from the Minister for Health and Social Services detailing the reasons why the health service in Wales cannot support it. However, when I visited it at its open day a couple of weeks ago, Pathways told me that it was receiving funded referrals from primary care trusts in England. “So, if the English NHS can provide funded referrals, surely Wales can do so too. I recognise that, as one of the clinicians who was a medical officer with the second battalion of the Parachute Regiment told me, if mental health services in the NHS were so comprehensive, the suicide rate for veterans would not be so high, veterans would not make up such a large proportion of the prison population, and the number of veterans sleeping rough would not be so large.” ENDS
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