Veteran brands mental care for soldiers "disgraceful"
L/Cpl Beharry said veterans suffering from mental health problems needed better treatment at home
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Saturday, 28, Feb 2009 10:04
Britain's most decorated serving soldier has said the quality of care available for former soldiers is "disgraceful".
In an interview with the Independent, Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his courage in Iraq, said soldiers were not receiving adequate treatment for mental conditions after returning from missions abroad.
L/Cpl Beharry said former soldiers should be treated at facilities set up by the army rather than through the NHS.
He told the newspaper: "These are people who have served this country. Why can't they get treatment?
"I don't think the government is doing enough for soldiers. Those who are still serving get some form of help for combat stress but even those who are serving don't get enough support."
Defence minister Kevan Jones said the government was not complacent when it came to treating veterans, adding that pilot mental health programmes had been introduced across the UK and existing programmes had been expanded.
"We recognise mental illnesses as serious and disabling conditions but also ones that can be treated.
"Our dedicated psychiatric teams based in theatre provide the very best diagnosis and treatment of psychological illnesses both during and after deployments," Mr Jones said.
L/Cpl Beharry was awarded the Victoria Cross for twice leading comrades into safety under heavy enemy fire while serving in Iraq in 2004.