Togetherall: Self-Compassion - Time to Talk Day, 1st February

                                       

Did you know you have access to Togetherall? Join the community now and experience the benefits of opening up in a safe & anonymous compassionate community. 
FREE to all serving & veteran UK Military personnel (16+). 

More information and register at:  Mental health support for all UK Armed Forces | Togetherall

 

NHS England: Help us to ensure veterans receive the very best healthcare support in 2024

In 2019, NHS England commissioned the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to develop and introduce the Veteran Friendly Practice Accreditation scheme, a free support programme designed to help GP practices in England to deliver the best care and treatment to patients who have served in the UK Armed Forces. Since then, over 2,760 practices have signed up.

To help encourage more practices to sign up, the Royal College of General Practitioners, NHS England and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs are working together to increase awareness of veterans’ healthcare needs and any challenges that prevent people who’ve served in the Armed Forces from seeking help from their GP.

If you have served in the Armed Forces and live in England, we would be grateful if you could spare 10 minutes to fill in this online survey. If you are a veteran support organisation, please could you share the survey with your veteran members who live in England.

By filling in this survey, you are ensuring that your thoughts and experiences are more likely to be understood and acted upon. This will help to encourage more GP practices to sign up so they can help veterans get the best healthcare support.
 

The NHS and Armed Forces Virtual Conference 2024: 12 Mar 24

NHS Employers annual Armed Forces virtual conference returns on 12 March 2024, recognising and showcasing NHS organisations who are striving to support Armed Forces Reservists and the wider Armed Forces community within the health and care workforce.

  
Delegates will hear how organisations, from ICBs to trusts, are working with the Step into Health programme to reduce disadvantage for the Armed Forces community to support recruitment into a range of NHS roles.

Op RESTORE

 

What is Op RESTORE?

Op RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service is an NHS service that supports individuals who have served in, or are leaving, the UK Armed Forces and have continuing, physical health injuries and related medical problems attributed to their time in the Armed Forces.

Working together with military and civilian medical professionals, along with Armed Forces charities, our teams understand military life and the longer-term care and support that may be required for veterans, Service leavers, reservists, families and carers.

Dandelion Military Families Meeting 15th Jan 2024

 

Togetherall - New Year Goal Setting

New Year: How to accept where you are and grow from here

We’re about to enter a new year, and that may come with hope, happiness, and pressure to achieve goals or feeling like we need to be perfect.

When the new year rolls around, it’s easy for us to feel like we need to accomplish everything we didn’t get the chance to tackle last year. Sometimes we can put so much pressure on ourselves to improve every aspect of our lives, we can feel anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed.

There’s no problem with setting goals for yourself, but it is important to work towards our goals while being kind to ourselves.

Do you have areas of your life you want to work on this year? Try some of the following tips from the goal-setting guide in the Togetherall platform.

Register your account 

Domestic Abuse: MOD Guidance on Where to Find Help

The MOD’s Safeguarding Team have released a video providing advice for anyone in the Armed Forces community affected by domestic abuse.

Contacts for those in the Army Community Overseas:

As a survivor:

Contact your local military/civil police, Unit Welfare Officer or the Army Welfare Service. AWS are informed of all incidents reported to the chain of command.

Civil Servants should inform the civil police. The Defence Business Services - Employee Wellbeing Service can provide welfare support.

Defence People Communications: Child Benefit – Get Financial Help if you Have Children

 

With the rising cost of living, the Government are offering parents and carers up to £1,248 a year to help with the cost of raising their first child – and up to £826.80 for any other children. This means that by the time a child is 16 years old, their child benefit claim could be worth almost £20,000.

GamCare: Christmas Gambling Harms Awareness

 

Would you know how to spot the signs of gambling harm and where to get support this Christmas? GamCare can help with some practical steps.

The festive period can be a difficult time for people affected by gambling harms.

For many, Christmas can expose financial issues, social isolation and mental health difficulties that often surround or worsen gambling harms. An early December payday can also add extra temptation to gamble, alongside the influence of alcohol, changes in routine and high-profile sporting events. Altogether, the holiday season can bring about increased risk for people struggling with their gambling.

Whatever it is, GamCare is here to help. We support anyone who has an issue with their gambling or someone else’s. We're available 24/7, we operate the free National Gambling Helpline, and provide treatment in all regions across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Our trained Advisers will help you find the right kind of support – whether it’s free tools to block gambling sites; forums and groups where you can get support from people in the same situation; or free confidential treatment in your area or residential treatment. 

The National Gambling Helpline offers 24/7 free confidential support all year on Freephone 0808 80 20 133, via Whatsapp on 020 3031 8881, or via online chat at gamcare.org.uk.

Defence People Communications: What Support is There for Service Families Facing Domestic Abuse?

Find out about the domestic abuse support available for Service families.

As part of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign, Defence is encouraging anyone affected by domestic abuse to ask for help and to be aware of the different ways to get support.

Armed forces families play a crucial role in Defence and should feel safe and supported. When it comes to domestic abuse, there are many support services available to them – both within Defence and at a local and national level.

Togetherall: Mental Health Support for the Armed Forces

  to register: https://account.v2.togetherall.com/register/uk-armed-forces​​

NHS Armed Forces Health Podcast

Welcome to the NHS Armed Forces Health Podcast, a six part series aims to help you, the Armed Forces Community, access the NHS services available. Released every Wed on Youtube.

MOD Bullying, Harrassment and Discrimination Helpline

You can also access support by visiting the Workplace Wellbeing Platform at MOD | (workplacewellbeing.com).

GamCare: Safer Gambling Week 13th to 19th November

This year, the 13th to 19th of November is Safer Gambling Week; a national, cross-industry initiative to raise awareness of safer gambling.

Have you been worried about your gambling, or affected by the gambling of someone else? Are you looking for a safe and secure place to explore your relationship with gambling? GamCare provides information, advice & support for anyone affected by gambling harms.

GamCare can offer support over the phone, face-to-face or online and our treatment is free, flexible and confidential. Call their free 24/7 helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit www.gamcare.org.uk

You can learn more about Safer Gambling Week on the Safer Gambling Week website and find GamCare resources at gamcare.org.uk.

Togetherall: How to Manage Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation

Is loneliness the new normal? With our means of connection changing over the last few years, we can all find ourselves feeling lonely at times. 

Check out this blog by @Togetherall's Chief Clinical Officer,  Ben Locke, PHD.

Ben provides his tips for dealing with feelings of loneliness and isolation. 

✅ Togetherall is FREE to anyone in the UK Military, Veterans & Family members aged 16+​

Dandelion Military Families: Bereavement Support Online Meeting - 21st November 1930hrs GMT

When 21st November 1930hrs GMT

Dandelion Military Families are hosting their next Online (MS Teams) Bereavement Support Meeting on 21st November at 1930hrs UK time.

To join email: dandelionmilfamilies@gmail.com

Togetherall: How to Manage Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation

Is loneliness the new normal? With our means of connection changing over the last few years, we can all find ourselves feeling lonely at times.

Check out this blog by @Togetherall's Chief Clinical Officer, Ben Locke, PHD., where he provides his tips for dealing with feelings of loneliness and isolation.

✅ Togetherall is FREE to anyone in the UK Military, Veterans & Family members aged 16+​

Are You Affected by A Loved One’s Harmful Use of Alcohol, Drugs or Gambling?

 

If the .PDF is not displaying correctly, please email RC-Pers-HIVE-sennelager-0mailbox@mod.gov.uk for your copy.

GamCare: Signs of Gambling Harm and Where to get Support

Would you know how to spot the signs of gambling harm and where to get support? GamCare can help with some practical steps.

Gambling is very easy to access these days with our phones and multiple options to get involved. This can mean that we spend more of our time and money than we want to or mean to, and it is easy to experience the negative impacts of too much gambling.

GamCare is the leading provider of information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling harms, and receives over 44,000 calls to the helpline and live chat each year to support people to change their relationship with gambling. 

There are a range of ways you can be supported - in person, over the phone, or virtually. If you're unsure if your own or someone else's gambling is becoming harmful, we've put together some useful signs to think about.

Togetherall: World Mental Health Day, 10 Oct 2023

 It’s World Mental Health Day and this year’s theme is mental health is a universal human right. 

@Togetherall has a community full of people from all walks of life, coming together to get (or give) the mental health support they need. Someone, somewhere will understand how you’re feeling and they’d love to hear your story. 

Togetherall is FREE to anyone in the UK Military, Veterans & Family members aged 16+ 

Visit togetherall.com​ to join today.