THE head of the Military Health and Veterans section at the Department of Health has criticised GPs for failing to make better use of a new training tool designed to help them take better care of veterans.

Dave Rutter, head of the Military Health and Veterans Department, made his remarks at an event at Catterick Garrison to highlight efforts being made to help veterans and their families who may be suffering the after-effects of active service.

Mr Rutter said a series of initiatives had been launched in the last year under the banner of the Armed Forces Network to encourage greater cooperation between the NHS, the military and service charities.

But he expressed disappointment at the lack of support from GPs for a recently launched online e-learning course aimed at helping GPs meet the healthcare needs of veterans, particularly difficult to diagnose mental health issues.

Mr Rutter described the numbers of GPs who were using the new training aid as “rubbish”.

“Not enough GPs are picking this up and using it. It is a decent bit of kit,” he added.

“GPs ought to know but they are not accessing this,” he said.

Mr Rutter said it was vital to improve the transfer of veterans from the military health service to the NHS and to avoid ex-soldiers falling over “a cliff-edge” and not being supported by anyone.

But a spokesman for the Royal College of General Practitioners, which launched the e-learning website just over a month ago said: “We are promoting it to our members.

It has been mentioned in our chairman’s blog. It looks as if we need to keep beating the drum on this.”

One of the most praised services which has been introduced recently was the pioneering VVADS (Vulnerable Veterans and Adult Dependents) service, set up through a partnership between NHS North Yorkshire and Catterick Garrison.

Described by Mr Rutter as “excellent”, the NHS service, run by four dedicated mental health therapists and based at the Duchess of Kent military hospital in Catterick Garrison, has dealt with 480 veterans or family members in the past year, either referred from local GPs or self-referrals.

The programe manager, Andy Wright, said funding for the two-year pilot scheme was due to run until March 31 next year.

“We have written a business case which will go before the commissioners at the PCTs who fund the programme. We have got our fingers crossed,” he added.