Veterans Mental Health Advisory Group minutes: December 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Lynne Taylor (Chair), Principal Psychology Officer, Scottish Government
• Martin Bell, Health and Wellbeing Lead, Veterans Scotland
• Thelma Bowers, Head of Mental Health, Addiction and Learning Disability services, NHS Ayrshire and Arran/North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership
• David Dent MBE, Vice President (Global Head of Integrated Strategy) Clinical Research, Board Advisor Help for Heroes, Trustee RBLI, Professor (Hon), former Army Nurse, Lecturer RDMC, and CISD practitioner and mental health 1st aider, War Disabled Veteran
• Linda Irvine Fitzpatrick, Strategic Lead, Scotlands Veterans Wellbeing Alliance
• Linda McAuslan, Lead Nurse Psychological Therapies/Adult Psychological Therapies Manager, NHS Forth Valley
• Kari Magee, Veterans Link Scotland Chair
• Gerri Matthews-Smith, Director of the Edinburgh Napier University Centre for Military Research, Education and Public Engagement/Scottish Armed Forces Evidence and Research (SAFE&R) HUB
• Michelle Ramage, V1P Tayside Clinical Lead
• Robert Reid, Director of Services Scotland, NI and the Military, Defence Medical Welfare Service
• Julie Thain-Smith, Head of Clinical Services, Help for Heroes
• Susanna Hamilton, Scottish Veterans Commissioner (Observing)
• Julie McIlroy, Head & Strategic Lead, Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s Office (Observing)
• Lindsey Restrick, Scottish Government
• Mark Fergusson, Scottish Government

Apologies

• Jacqueline Berry, Allied Health Professionals/Occupational Therapy Lead, NHS Grampian
• Alexis Chappell, Chief Officer, East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership
• Vicky Henderson, Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership
• Lindsay Kirkwood, V1P Ayrshire and Arran Clinical Lead
• Jenny Pope, Deputy Director of Workforce NHS Golden Jubilee
• Sonia Phythian, Head of Operations for Scotland, Combat Stress

Items and actions

Welcome and recap of October meeting

The chair asked group members to confirm they were content with minutes from the October meeting and no objections were raised. The chair also confirmed that, following the October meeting, Scottish Government (SG) officials had written to members who had attended fewer than three meetings so far to ask them if they wish to continue participating in the group. It is now confirmed that these members will no longer participate.

The chair welcomed Susanna Hamilton, the Scottish Veterans Commissioner and Julie McIlroy, Head & Strategic Lead, Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s Office who had both been invited to observe the meeting.

The chair noted she could only attend the first hour of meeting due to a personal appointment and the group were content that Lindsey Restrick chaired the remainder of the meeting.

Update on national framework

The chair invited SG officials to provide an update on the national framework. SG officials confirmed that the framework has now been approved by Scottish Ministers. Officials are now liaising with relevant colleagues to agree a timetable for publication.

A group member asked if narrative could be added to accompany the circle of needs diagram.

Action: SG officials to update the framework with additional narrative around the circle of needs.

The chair thanked the group for their input into shaping the framework and acknowledged that ministerial approval of the document marked a significant milestone.

Discussion on the hub and spoke options paper

The chair invited SG officials to provide an overview of the paper relating to the options for the national hub and regional spokes. Under both options presented, the national hub would act as a single point of access as agreed previously by the group. Under option A, three regional spokes would provide non-complex clinical support through a veteran specific third sector provider, including enhanced peer support.  Local NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) would retain the responsibility to oversee and treat complex cases.

Under option B, the three regional spokes would provide non-complex clinical support through NHS regional collaborations. This option would remain NHS Board-led, with boards retaining the responsibility for both commissioning the required level of peer support, as well as overseeing and treating complex cases.

The chair invited feedback from the group on the options paper. A query was raised around how the NHS regional collaborations, referred to in the paper, might work. SG officials acknowledged that consultation with key stakeholders in the statutory services will be important and that this has been included in the communication and engagement strategy. The chair added that collaborations would have to be agreed with NHS regional planners and with other sub-national structures within the statutory services. Group members noted this could be lengthy and complex.

The fragility of the current financial situation was acknowledged by the group and the group agreed that resourcing decisions around services need to be coalesced in a strategic way so that existing services are not at risk of being eroded or destabilised.  The group is also cognisant that the development of the pathway should ensure that it links into existing pieces of work, to learn from current service approaches and existing data.

Although the group did not reach agreement on the options presented the following points were discussed and agreed:

 

• a phased approach is required, to ensure that the pathway launch can begin in the 2026/27 financial year, without disrupting existing service provision
• an agile, systemic, quality improvement approach should be taken; integrating the third sector and statutory services
• peer support should be available to all
• appropriate governance is required to ensure those providing local clinical care have relevant training on veterans-informed support
• regional approach is mainly third sector-led for less complex care
• complex care is managed locally
• any care delivered locally by mental health services needs to be veteran informed and supported by a specification

To ensure that the options are fully considered and recognising the clinical complexity and sensitivity around service provision, officials will seek further feedback on the papers.  

Chair left the meeting. Lindsey Restrick took over as chair.

Update from the operational working group and stakeholder network

The chair invited the co-chairs of the veterans mental health and wellbeing pathway operational working group and stakeholder network to provide updates on both groups.

The operational working group met on 7th November and the main agenda item was feedback on the proposals of the short-life working group which was tasked with providing recommendations on performance metrics, following the submission of their final recommendations to our advisory group in September. The group discussed the usefulness of the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines, but recognised that this can take time to implement.

All feedback has been sent to the short-life working group chair, Martin Bell.

Action: SG officials to arrange meeting between co-chairs of operational working group and Martin Bell to discuss the group’s feedback further and agree next steps.

On 15th December, a joint meeting will take place involving the stakeholder network and operational working group. At this meeting, an update will be provided on progress with the pathway since April and plans for 2026.

Any other business

A group member requested that a timeline is drafted outlining key target milestones.

The group discussed the introduction of Valour by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) and the funding that this may bring to Scotland. While there is no firm detail on the approach that Valour is taking, the advisory group should retain awareness and ensure that the pathway and Valour can work together.

Action: SG officials to draft a timeline for 2026.

Date of next meeting: 20 February 2026