A new report into the experiences and wellbeing of Gurkha and Fijian personnel who served in the UK Armed Forces has been published.
The project’s aim was to better understand the impact of their service, to ensure that any changes needed could be identified and addressed, and support improved where required.
The King’s College London study funded by Forces in Mind Trust, compared currently serving Gurkha, Fijian, and British ethnic minority personnel with white British comparison group. This aimed to understand any differences in their physical and mental health symptoms.
In addition, interviews were also conducted with a small group of Gurkha and Fijian veterans from different generations to better understand their experiences of military culture and support.
Findings
Health and wellbeing
The comparison of serving 254 Gurkha personnel who participated in the study with the comparator white British cohort highlighted that, in general, they reported better physical and mental health than their white British counterparts; for example, Gurkha participants were less likely to report:
- physical health issues, such as joint pain, rapid heartbeat, or shortness of breath
- symptoms of psychological distress, such as concentration difficulties, losing sleep over worry or feeling under strain)
- symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), such as feeling distant or cut off from other people
The comparison of 112 Fijian serving personnel who participated in the study with the white British cohort showed a mixed picture of health for Fijian participants who were :
- more likely to report some physical conditions such as back pain, dizziness, but less likely to report others such as nausea and sleeping troubles
- more likely to report some symptoms of PTSD, such as upset when being reminded of a stressful experience, but less likely to experience other symptoms such as sleeping problems and memory loss
- less likely to have other symptoms of general psychological distress, such as feeling unhappy or depressed
Culture and support
Interviews were conducted with multi-generational samples of ex-Service personnel; 25 of Nepalese and 14 of Fijian heritage.
Both the Fijian and Gurkha participant groups mentioned instances of unfair treatment and discrimination during their time in the Armed Forces. This was particularly true for older Gurkha ex-Service personnel participants, where differences in financial treatment (particularly before pension rules were changed in 1997) caused considerable financial and psychological distress for those affected by the historic policies.
Participants interviewed shared many similar experiences with other British military personnel, but challenges were often exacerbated due to factors specific to their Fijian and Gurkha heritage. This included as the impact of extended periods of family separation (over years); longer distance from their family and support networks; and deployment restrictions related to non-UK passports.
Although some of the concerns raised by the report are ‘legacy’ issues, and therefore no longer relevant to present or future cohorts of the UK Armed Forces, the report shows that the result of those experiences continue to impact significantly on the quality of lives of the veterans interviewed, their families and their communities.
Recommendations
The report made recommendations to address historical and modern disadvantages faced by Gurkha and Fijian Service personnel.
- The Ministry of Defence should review how policies designed to target unfair treatment and discrimination are implemented on a local level.
- MoD and Department of Work & Pensions are encouraged to address enduring differences as a result of historic pension inequalities faced by Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997.
- Access to services should be clear, understandable and timely pre-, during, and post service with reduced complexity and bureaucracy and greater collaboration between Defence, Third Sector and already established and successful Fijian and Gurkha networks.
- MoD to review how the principles set by the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy meet the needs of non-UK families, and to consider how policies may be extended to family members to help address the impact of extended family separation and immigration insecurity.
Report author Professor Edgar Jones at King’s College London said
“Despite experiences of discrimination, Gurkha and Fijian soldiers serving in the UK Armed Forces are resilient and rightly proud of their military achievements. However, discriminatory treatment has an impact on their mental and physical health and though much has been done to address the legacy of Empire, the task is not complete.”
Michelle Alston, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust said,
“Whilst most Service personnel in this Gurkha and Fijian cohort showed good health and share much of their characteristics and experiences with the rest of the Armed Forces, there are some areas where their experience diverges. We recognise and welcome the progress being towards improving policies for non-UK personnel, but urge greater prioritisation of the issues and action to address changes in practice as well as policy. This report should be used as a tool to understanding Gurkha and Fijian ex-Service personnel, as well as the challenges faced by non-UK personnel. Regardless of their country of origin, all former personnel and families should be empowered to make a successful transition to civilian life.”
