Walking With The Wounded has expanded the clinical team behind its Head Start programme with the appointment of Donna Barnes as senior clinical practitioner. The move comes as the charity increases its clinical capacity in response to growing demand from veterans accessing mental health support directly from the community.
Donna joins the team with more than 15 years of NHS experience as a registered general nurse, specialising in cardiology, acute care and patient recovery. She has worked in mentoring and patient education roles and has long focused on supporting mental health and wellbeing in frontline settings.
As the partner of a veteran, she also brings personal insight into the challenges faced by those leaving the Armed Forces, particularly around trauma, chronic pain and moral injury.
Expanded leadership structure
Alongside Donna’s appointment, Alie Salford has taken on the role of clinical lead. Together they will oversee the delivery and development of Head Start’s clinical services, which provide therapy and psychological support to veterans.
The changes are intended to strengthen clinical leadership and ensure services can meet the increasing volume and complexity of cases referred for assessment and therapy.
Responding to demand
The charity has been refining its approach to improve how veterans are assessed and matched with appropriate therapy. The expansion of the clinical team is aimed at ensuring services remain sustainable while maintaining the standard of care.
The Head Start programme offers psychological support to veterans across the UK, with many accessing it directly from their local communities rather than through formal referral routes.
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