In honour of World Mental Health Day 2025, Salute! brings you a powerful and personal reflection from Laura McKain, a seasoned Mental Health Nurse whose 24-year journey in the field has been shaped by compassion, lived experience, and a commitment to supporting others especially within the Armed Forces community. From her early curiosity sparked by a family diagnosis to leading change within NHS trusts through the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance, Laura’s story is one of resilience, empathy, and impact. As we mark this important day, her words remind us that mental health matters every day, and together, we can continue breaking down stigma, opening up conversations, and building a fairer, more supportive world for all.
My interest in mental health began at around the age of 15, like most people I have family members, friends who have experienced mental health difficulties, nobody is immune to mental health problems, and I personally have experienced anxiety, depression and stress. My maternal grandad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease which sparked an interest in me to learn more about it. This led me to look into mental health as a career, I did an AS Level in Psychology and went on to complete a BA (hons) in Mental Health Nursing. I also studied One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey for A Level English Literature which questions the treatment of mental illness at the time the book was written.
My first role as a Mental Health Nurse was on an adult ward which treated acute mental illness and addictions. This provided a great overview of most mental health conditions and included therapies, psychopharmacology and even Electro-Convulsive Therapy, which proved to be less traumatic than portrayed in the film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
I then moved on to a high observation ward and subsequently to a locked psychiatric intensive care unit which had 14 beds for male patients who were under s section of the Mental Health Act (1983) and many of which had a forensic history.
My next role was in a young offenders and adult male prison as a Mental Health Practitioner. Surprisingly I felt far safer as a nurse within a prison than I ever did on a ward. The prison officers intervened in any aggressive events whereas on a ward I had no shields as protection.
My career then led me to working in substance misuse service for 10 years, having lost a close relative as a result of addiction, this made me want to help others in similar situations and meant I had a more empathetic approach to these issues.
Prior to my current role I worked in Op COURAGE as part of the therapy pathway as a Clinical Liaison Nurse. During this time I completed training in Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) and qualified as a Non-Medical Prescriber. I learned about medications that can help in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD. This role gave me a solid foundation and an understanding of the mental health needs of veterans and the support that is available, which has been very useful in my current role.
Upon leaving this role I received some lovely feedback from some of the veterans I had supported during the 6 years working in Op COURAGE:
“Sad to hear that you are leaving as you were a person that I came to trust which is difficult for me at the best of times as you probably know. You were also someone that I knew I could reach out to at any time and I thank you so much for that.
I’m glad that you are staying within the veteran world as there is still so much to do and I know you will have an impact and make things happen, whatever role you will be doing”.
And:
“Thank you for all the support you have given me over the years. Without your help and support I don’t know what path I would have taken. Good luck for the future hope it all works out for you and stay safe”.
This team were awarded as the best team in the annual awards and received an award for compassion as part of the star value awards.
Currently I work as a Regional Lead for the Midlands and East of England areas with the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) supporting NHS trusts in becoming Veteran Aware (VA) by evidencing they are meeting the eight VA Standards.
I was honoured to meet Gregg Stevenson, Paralympic Gold Medalist in Rowing at the 2024 VCHA National Conference – Gregg has now joined the VCHA as a Regional Trainer.
I have always been driven by the concept of fairness and equality so this role feels perfect for me – the Armed Forces Covenant ensures that there should be no disadvantage for the Armed Forces community which is pivotal in the VCHA work. All NHS trusts within the East of England and the Midland regions are accredited as being Veteran Aware. I strive to support trusts in maintaining, improving and enhancing their offer to the Armed Forces community.
On this day of mental health awareness, it is important to acknowledge that mental health awareness is improving and the stigma is reducing but there is still plenty of room for improvement. Keep encouraging people to be open and talk about what they are experiencing. It’s hard to help if it is kept hidden.
Words by Laura McKain
To access information on support available to the Armed Forces community like Op COURAGE, click here.
If you have a story to share or any story suggestions, we’d love to hear from you – submit yours and be part of this growing collection of voices celebrating the Armed Forces community. Email us at rnoh.vcha@nhs.net.
