The health needs and experiences of military families in Wiltshire
The Wiltshire Council area is home to around a fifth of the British Army. To understand the issues that affect this population, we looked at:
- The impact on the health of families when they move to Wiltshire, including mental health and loneliness.
- How this move affects children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- The barriers and enablers of military families getting full access to health and social care services.
- Behaviours that military families demonstrate which affect their health, such as alcohol use.
Downloads
Healthwatch Wiltshire are continuing our collaborative work with Wiltshire Council and senior military stakeholders as they develop an action plan to respond to this report.
The Defence Medical Services said:
'The health and welfare of military personnel and their families is our priority and a range of support is available to help them, accessed through local Unit and Garrison Welfare Teams, the South West HIVE Hub (Tidworth), Army Welfare Services and Families Medical Centres.
'We are grateful to all those who took part in the research, and will study its findings carefully as we continue to strive to providing the best support possible to the Armed Forces community, whilst proactively seeking opportunities to improve processes and services alongside our collaborative partners.'
Recommendations
Military families in Wiltshire face significant barriers when accessing health and social care. A key driver of their difficulties is loneliness, which can damage physical and mental health, and reduce resilience. Our recommendations offer strategies to reduce loneliness, thereby improving health, productivity, retention and recruitment.
Equipping the local community
- Give the local community and its professionals the skills, knowledge and motivation to build meaningful relationships with military families, and effectively respond to their needs.
Formalising integration programme
- Establish a formal, comprehensive programme to address the practical and emotional needs of families, ensuring smoother integration.
Centralising information
- Create a single, trusted, online platform of information for military
families, making integration more efficient.
Managing sensitive cases
- Enhance the training and supervision of Welfare Officers to improve their ability to manage sensitive cases, and build trust amongst military families.
Strengthening mental health support
- Reduce the stigma and increase the accessibility of accessing mental health support, empowering families to manage their mental health.
Protecting children
- Prioritise the assessment of children with SEND and implement effective measures to minimise the impact of mid-term relocations on children’s education and wellbeing.
If you would like to share your feedback about health and social care services in Wiltshire, please complete our online feedback form.
