Veterans mental health and wellbeing pathway: impact assessment

Recommendations and Conclusion

The EQIA has identified that, as it currently stands, the planned pathway will include all veterans in Scotland with no negative impact on any of the groups and indeed is likely to have a positive impact on advancing equality of opportunity on three of the protected characteristics. Scottish Government will work with the delivery partners to ensure that all veterans in Scotland receive appropriate support based on their individual needs and also to ensure that the Pathway can adapt to changes in the veteran population and their needs.

Discussions on necessary budget are underway to ensure that it that the pathway meets its aims and vision. There are no implications on this arising from the EQIA.

The EQIA has ensured that all groups are considered regarding the pathway and this will provide much needed mental health and wellbeing support to all veterans across Scotland, ensuring that they can receive the right support at the right time.

We will review this EQIA regularly, in line with the review and phasing of the pathway.

We have found no evidence of negative consequences at this time. However, in line with best practice, we will keep this under review as part of the monitoring of this EQIA.

As previously stated the EQIA has highlighted that the some of the current available data has limitations especially with regard to gender reassignment, sexual orientation and race. The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Pathway Framework recognises these evidence gaps and sets out an approach to improving data collection and outcome measurement to better understand how these factors influence access to mental health services and treatment outcomes for veterans.

Some proposals included in the plan are in the early implementation stage. As this develops, there may be a requirement for another EQIA to ensure that the specific barriers for each protected characteristic are fully considered and subject to appropriate governance.