A GOVERNMENT-FUNDED helpline to support troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is being officially launched.
The 24-hour helpline is designed to help troops who may be suffering mental health problems.
The charity, Rethink, will deliver the service with £200,000 of Government funding for a one-year pilot.
The scheme was announced in October as part of measures aimed at helping troops who may be suffering post-traumatic stress disorder.
Research suggests one in four of those who fought in Iraq suffered some sort of mental health problem.
Health minister Simon Burns unveiled the free helpline number, 0800 138 1619, effective from today.
He said the service was part of the Government’s “commitment to deliver the best possible health outcomes to veterans”.
