COMMENT: Funding PTSD programme could end up saving money

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the National Health Service, where there are so many deserving causes but not enough money to go round.

We hear almost on a daily basis that the NHS is in crisis, that it is struggling to cope with demand and resources are stretched to the limit.

So sadly it should not come as a great surprise that from June, NHS bosses are to axe funding for veterans charity Combat Stress’s intensive residential treatment programme for those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

It will mean a saving of £3.2m, but at what human cost?

We are told that treatment for those with PTSD will not be impacted and that a new Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service will be rolled out across England on April 1.

But the reality is that veterans from Portsmouth, who are battling PTSD and have been treated by Combat Stress for problems such as alcoholism, tell us they find it difficult to trust civilian or NHS doctors.

The big worry is that they will therefore avoid seeking help, with dire consequences.

We believe the NHS should be taking a long-term view rather than going for a short-term saving. Because only last year we reported how a study at Cosham’s Queen Alexandra Hospital by Combat Stress revealed scores of veterans were waiting longer to deal with alcohol addiction. On average they were putting off seeking help until their 60s – 11 years later than their civilian counterparts.

The study showed that as veterans grew older, they were spending more time in hospital, thus costing the NHS more.

So allowing them to continue seeking help from Combat Stress to treat PTSD-related issues at an earlier stage could save lives and save money.