Preseli MP Stephen Crabb has spoken out on the lack of awareness among GPs about the dedicated mental health services available to help service personnel.

Speaking during Defence Questions on Monday, Stephen questioned Secretary of State Bob Ainsworth why a recent survey found that up to 85% of GPs across England and Wales are still unaware of the reservists mental health programme or the MOD’s medical assessment programme.

Over the last four years Mr Crabb’s office has been contacted about a number of serious cases of former service personnel in Pembrokeshire who have experienced mental health difficulties since returning from the front-line.

And a survey of 500 GPs conducted by the Royal British Legion (RBL) found that 85% had no knowledge of the reservist mental health programme and 71% had no knowledge of the MOD’s medical assessment programme.

Mr Crabb told the Mercury: “As we approach Remembrance Sunday attention is rightly given to those who have sacrificed their lives for this country. It is also a time for reflecting on how we can better support those individuals who continue to struggle, on a day-to-day basis, to overcome the physical, emotional or mental scars of war.

“The RBL survey highlights again just how little progress has been made in raising awareness among mainstream health professionals of the specialised services on offer for current and former service personnel. The MOD needs to look again at this problem and ensure far better co-ordination between itself and the department of health and devolved health bodies.”

Recently the British Medical Journal reported that of those troops having served 13 or more months in theatres of operations, 5.2% suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, 21.8% from psychological distress and 23.9% from severe alcohol problems.