On Remembrance Day, the AMA acknowledges the service of doctors, past and present, who have served as medical officers in armed conflicts.
The AMA encourages past and present armed service personnel experiencing mental health challenges to seek help from their doctor as soon as possible. Doctors treating former service personnel should be aware of lingering and lasting mental harm from active service.
AMA President Professor Steve Robson — a former Royal Australian Navy medical officer — said it's hard for anyone, including civilian doctors to really understand the full impact active service can have on mental health.
"On Remembrance Day, I honour the lives lost in service and acknowledge those currently serving, and the harm this can cause, especially serious mental health challenges, which can reverberate through to families and loved ones.
"As a doctor and former serviceman, I would urge ex service personnel to seek help from their GP sooner rather than later to deal with these. I understand people might try to 'push through', but this will only compound illness. And there is help out there.
"I was a medical officer on HMAS Sydney during the first Gulf War and treated serving members who suffered serious physical and emotional injuries. In some respects, the emotional injuries left mental scars that were more serious and disabling than most physical injuries.
"There is Medicare-funded support that doctors should be aware of through the Veterans' Health Check program to encourage early intervention in the transition to civilian life with a comprehensive physical and mental health assessment for Veterans," Professor Robson said.
Department of Veterans' Affairs Chief Health Officer, Doctor Jenny Firman said it is important for veterans to engage with health programs early.
"Leaving the Australian Defence Force can have a significant impact on the physical and emotional health of veterans, and the earlier veterans can access health services, the better the outcomes they may achieve," Doctor Firman said.
"Veterans can access a range of services to support their health and wellbeing through the Veteran Card. Any member of the ADF who has served at least one day of full-time service is eligible to receive a Veteran Card, which enables them to access and pay for a wide range of healthcare services.
"There are resources available for GPs and other veteran health providers to help them understand the health needs of veterans based on their unique military experience. DVA recently launched quick guides to make it easier for providers to understand the Veteran Card system and item numbers for DVA programs.
"Health providers play a key role in the veteran support system, and we are committed to ensuring all components of the system are well supported and informed."
More information on the resources for veteran health providers is here.
