Assessing feasibility/acceptability of the Veteran Connection Programme (and trial) to enhance mental health amongst military veterans through social connectedness.

Background Around 16,000 people leave the UK military annually, many facing social disconnection that worsens mental health and strains the NHS. Current transition programmes focus on jobs and housing, neglecting psychosocial needs and underserved veteran subgroups. The Veteran Connection Programme (VCP) addresses these shortcomings by drawing on well-established evidence showing that (re)connecting with social groups protects people from the health impacts of life transitions, by giving meaning, purpose and belonging. VCP is a group-based intervention co-designed/delivered by veterans and psychologists. It aims to improve veterans' wellbeing by helping them create supportive relationships. Its non-clinical group-based nature reduces stigma and increases availability to underserved subgroups. Early testing showed improved well-being after VCP. The proposed project will enable us to assess the feasibility/acceptability of VCP and its trial design for a future definitive trial of VCP. Questions/Aims RQ1: Are study procedures and the intervention suitable/acceptable to service-leavers across different subgroups (females/early service-leavers/LGBTQ+/minoritised/rural/coastal-based)? RQ2: Can we recruit appropriate participants through the suggested recruitment pathways (NHS/VCSE/MOD/self-referral)? RQ3: How appropriate are the trial and data collection procedures e.g., for data-collection procedures/outcome measures)? Objectives Test VCP as a one-day workshop and capture participant experiences. Assess recruitment/retention and identify outcome measures for a definitive trial. Evaluate adherence, resource-use, quality-of-life data, and intervention costs. Explore implementation pathways and scalability. Methods 18-month, two-arm feasibility RCT (N=80) of VCP vs usual care, with process and economic evaluation. Recruitment via GP practices, charities, MoD, and self-referral. Assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Qualitative interviews (n=24) will refine materials. Monitor recruitment, retention, fidelity, and barriers to randomisation. Economic analysis will estimate costs and feasibility of cost-effectiveness. Timeline (months) 0-4:Preparation-NHS/MoD ethics, Facilitator training, stakeholder interviews, manual refinement. 5-14:Intervention delivery, risk management development, data collection. 5-18:Quantitative, economic, and qualitative analyses, knowledge-exchange workshop. 18+:Dissemination of findings, preparation of definitive trial application. Anticipated Impact/Dissemination VCP aims to deliver immediate improvements in social connectedness and wellbeing, potentially reducing NHS burden by preventing long-term conditions and crisis-point interventions. Findings will inform a definitive trial and wider NHS and MoD policy on preventative veteran support. Outputs will include peer-reviewed publications, stakeholder videos, manuals, future trial protocol, and a refined logic model. Dissemination channels include stakeholder networks, charities, knowledge-exchange workshops, and development planning for long-term future scale-up via creation of a social venture.