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In the East of England region, Op COURAGE is delivered by a partnership of NHS services (Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust) and charities (St Andrew’s Healthcare, Mental Health Matters, Walking With The Wounded and The Warrior Programme). The East of England service covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. For information on Op COURAGE in other regions across England, please visit the NHS website.
- Base: Hellesdon Hospital
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Address:
Hellesdon Hospital, Drayton High Rd, NR6 5BE, Norwich, NR6 5BE
- Reception phone number: 0300 034 9991
Service information
Op COURAGE supports veterans who have left the armed forces and serving personnel who are due to leave. It supports people of any age who have served in any of the armed forces (including reservists) at any time, for any duration.
Our team includes trained professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists and social workers. Some of our team have military backgrounds themselves, others have previous experience working with the armed forces community, but we all share a commitment to the mental health needs of veterans. We understand the demands of military and veteran life and the ways in which they can affect mental health.
Our service can help veterans and their families with a range of support and treatment, including:
- Helping veterans recognise the early signs of mental health difficulties and offering swift assessments and treatment.
- Offering specialist treatments for mental health difficulties including trauma, whether or not they are related to military service.
- Offering specialist help for substance misuse difficulties.
- Joining up with other NHS services that offer specialist support if needed and helping our colleagues to be mindful of the particular needs of veterans.
- Offering practical support with other issues that may affect the health and wellbeing of veterans, such as employment, relationships, housing, finances, activity and other social support.
- Supporting the families of veterans affected by mental health difficulties.
- Arranging the necessary support and emergency care and treatment if you’re in a crisis.
Referral information
To receive help and support from Op COURAGE, you must:
- be resident in England and have served in the UK armed forces for a full day
- be registered with a GP practice in England or be willing and eligible to register with a GP
- provide your military service number
It does not matter how long ago you left the forces. You can contact Op COURAGE even if you left many years ago.
There are several ways you can contact Op COURAGE in the East of England:
- directly getting in touch yourself
- asking a friend or family member to get in touch
- asking a GP to refer you
- asking a charity to refer you
You can contact us by telephone on 0300 034 9991
Or by email at mevs.mhm@nhs.net
Once you have been in touch, we will call you to arrange an initial appointment. This will be held face-to-face or via telephone, depending on your preference, and within 10 days of us receiving your referral.