On 19 and 20 July 2017, Minister for
Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood welcomed
delegations from the United States, Canada, Australia,
and New Zealand to the International Ministerial
Conference on Veterans’ Issues at the Royal Hospital
Chelsea.
Mr Ellwood, The Honourable David Shulkin,
US Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs, The Honourable Kent
Hehr, Canadian Minister of Veterans Affairs and
Associate Minister of National Defence, The Honourable
Dan Tehan, Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and
Defence Personnel, Ms Bernadine Mackenzie, the New
Zealand Head of Veterans’ Affairs, and delegates from
all nations came together under a shared commitment to
their defence and veteran communities to discuss
veterans’ mental health and transition from military to
civilian life.
Delegates were honoured to be hosted at
the Royal Hospital Chelsea and to be shown the grounds
by the Chelsea Pensioners. Over the course of the
two-day conference, the five countries identified many
overlapping themes and mutual challenges, including for
some nations addressing and treating post-traumatic
disorder, rates of suicide and homelessness among
veterans, barriers to mental health care, alternative
therapies, veteran-centric approaches to the provision
of services, and early intervention.
Delegates had an opportunity to hear from
leading expert, Professor Sir Simon Wessely on veterans
mental health challenges and were taken by the extent of
the research and the key facts and findings. Delegates
also visited the veterans charity organization ‘Stoll’
and had an opportunity to speak with United Kingdom
veterans about their experiences transitioning to
civilian life.
Delegates recognised that to face these
challenges and progress reforms it was essential that
evidence based research and data informed policy
decisions and implementation. Ministers heard from
clinical experts how myths about veterans' mental health
were damaging efforts to encourage veterans to seek help
as early as possible. They agreed that efforts must
continue on improving the provision of information to
the veterans community and to transform the delivery of
support and services to the defence and veteran
communities in all five nations.
Delegates agreed to establish a network
between the five nations to share and undertake research
and emerging data, confirming their continuing
commitment to collaborate on strategies that recognise,
support, and care for the defence and veteran
communities across the five countries. The initial
research that will be undertaken will look at risk
assessments and prevention strategies for veterans at
risk of suicide.
Ministers thanked the United Kingdom for
hosting the meeting and agreed to meet again in
Australia in October 2018 to continue the work began at
this meeting and to share the outcomes of research
undertaken.