Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Pathway – National Framework - summary

Core Elements of Delivery

The pathway will adopt a hub-and-spoke model to ensure veterans can access the right level of support, from the right person, at the right time.

A national digital hub will act as a central entry point, hosting an online referral form, self-help resources, and clinical guidance. It will coordinate referrals to regional spokes and host key information on services. This hub will also collect data to monitor service use through key outcome focused Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and develop feedback loops to ensure that lived experience can inform services improvements.

Regional spokes will coordinate regional and local assistance, including peer support and access to evidence-based interventions for those with less complex needs. Developing local networks and partnerships between statutory services and third sector organisations, this model represents a ‘no wrong door’ approach, meaning veterans can enter the pathway through multiple routes and still receive consistent, high-quality care as close to home as possible. The regional spokes will also promote wellbeing to enable veterans to ‘wait well’ for treatment and appropriate services.

Local statutory services will provide care for veterans with the most complex needs through routine core provision, but with the support of veteran specific supervision and training though specialist staff hosted in the regional spokes. Any veteran accessing local services will also have the support of a peer support worker following the centralised referral process and access to any appropriate third sector community provision which will be supported through the regional spokes.

This model will ensure local flexibility to meet individual needs while maximising principles of best value and governance.