Charity PTSD Resolution is calling for an end to waiting lists for treatment for the symptoms of military post traumatic stress. Veterans and reservists often have to wait months for treatment currently. The charity PTSD Resolution has asked the Government to refer veterans through the NHS to the charity’s network of 200 therapists and support this with funding for each patient, at £600 per treatment, within the military covenant.

The military covenant - the Government's promise that all troops will be looked after - is to be enshrined in law for the first time. Prime Minister David Cameron will unveil the plans to recognise the 'unique service' of military personnel next week amid fears that he was watering down his commitment to the forces.

For further information Contact:- PTSD Resolution Tel www.ptsdresolution.org 0845 021 7873 e-mail sb@ptsdresolution.org.  - Facebook: http://is.gd/4RPUV 

Press information: Patrick.Rea@rea-tma.co.uk Tel 020 8870 4976

Note to Editor:-

 PTSD Resolution - www.ptsdresolution.org - : Key Facts

• ·          PTSD Resolution (registered charity No. 1133188) provides therapy to UK armed forces’ veterans and reservists to relieve mental health problems resulting from military service, so as ease reintegration into a normal work & family life.

• ·          The PTSD Resolution national outreach programme has over 200 therapists. Treatment is on an outpatient basis, to support family and work routines. It is confidential, on a one-to-one basis, with no waiting lists. A referral is not needed.

• ·          Therapy is brief and effective – generally within three to five one-hour sessions treatment is ended by mutual agreement. It is unusual for further support to be needed subsequently.

• ·          Resolution therapists are trained in Human Givens Therapy (HGT)  (1).  Used in psychological trauma as a form of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), this treatment for PTSD is compatible with the guidelines of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

• ·          Patients are not required to talk about the events that may have caused the traumatic memory. The programme policy is that re-exposure is better done in the client’s visual imagination and while in a relaxed state, protecting confidentiality and reducing distress. This is a relatively new development of trauma-focussed CBT, similar to Imagery Re-scripting and Reprocessing Therapy (IRRT). (2)

• ·          The Resolution network was launched in February 2010. This followed a three-year pilot programme, which included a project with the Falklands Veterans Foundation (www.fvf.org.uk) that helped ex-services personnel recover successfully after experiencing the symptoms of PTSD for 25 years in some cases.

• ·          Overall the programme has had a better than 83 per cent success rate (3) in resolving the condition for the 121 UK veterans of the armed services treated. This is similar to the recovery rate in the recent study of 599 stress-related cases from the general population who were treated using HGT: over 70 per cent reached a significant and sustained improvement after an average of 3.6 treatment sessions (4).

• ·          Treatment is complementary to the work of other armed forces charities, because it can resolve the immediate mental health issues that may be barriers to successful help under reintegration and resettlement programmes.

• ·          Therapists work in prisons where the authorities permit, and there is an active programme of engagement with the prison service nationally. The patron of the charity is Lord Ramsbotham, former Inspector of Prisons. There are an estimated 8,500 veterans in prison with 3,000 on parole (5). NAPO estimates that half suffer this number from PTSD and related disorders. 

• ·          Resolution provides a service that has been missing in the national provision for veterans’ mental health; of those veterans that access treatment through other channels, research suggests that the majority approach their GP and receive medication.  One study of vulnerable veterans found that only 4% of those seeking treatment had been offered evidence-based therapeutic help (6).

For further information Contact:- PTSD Resolution Tel www.ptsdresolution.org 0845 021 7873 e-mail sb@ptsdresolution.org.  - Facebook: http://is.gd/4RPUV 

Press information: Patrick.Rea @ rea-tma.co.uk - Tel 020 8870 4976

Te; 020 8870 4976

www.ptsdresolution.org 0845 021 7873 e-mail sb@ptsdresolution.org.  - Facebook: http://is.gd/4RPUV

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