Award recognition for Swansea Bay veterans mental health specialist
A Swansea Bay University Health Board specialist who has dedicated the past 15 years to supporting military veterans has been recognised with a prestigious national award.
Victoria Williams, Highly Specialist Veterans’ Clinic Lead, has been named Welsh Veterans Inspiration of the Year 2026, recognising her outstanding contribution to improving the lives of veterans living with military-related mental health conditions.
Victoria, a mental health nurse by background, is an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) therapist and EMDR consultant who specialises in military mental health.
She leads Swansea Bay’s Veterans NHS Wales service, which provides specialist support for former members of the Armed Forces experiencing mental health difficulties linked to their service.
The service, funded by Welsh Government, supports veterans with a wide range of issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, moral injury and the challenges that can arise when adjusting to life after leaving the military.
Victoria said: "PTSD is kind of my day job, but it doesn't have to be PTSD. As long as a mental health condition is related to military service, that's what we will see.
"It could be that someone was severely bullied during their service. It could be that they are struggling after being discharged from the Armed Forces. Whatever their mental health condition is, if it's related to their military experience, we're here to help."
The Veterans NHS Wales service covers the Swansea Bay area and accepts self-referrals, making it easier for former service personnel to access support when they are ready.
Victoria believes one of the most important aspects of the service is helping veterans feel understood.
"Our job is to be here when people are ready. This is hard for many veterans and taking that first step isn't easy,” she added .
"The thing about our service is having that specialist knowledge of veterans and the military. When people come to see us, they know they're in an environment where they're going to be understood.”
In addition to providing therapy, Victoria and her colleagues work closely with healthcare organisations, charities and veterans' groups, providing education, sharing best practice and helping people access wider support services.
The award came as a complete surprise to Victoria, who was nominated by others in recognition of her work.
"I've never been more shocked in my life. I was nominated for two awards and wasn't expecting to win either of them. To receive this recognition is incredibly humbling,” she said.
Throughout her career, Victoria has remained passionate about supporting veterans and ensuring more people know that help is available.
"We know we're good at what we do. We are lucky to receive positive feedback from veterans who use our service.
"The important thing now is continuing to raise awareness. If talking about this award helps more veterans find us and access support, then that's a really positive outcome."
Victoria emphasised that veterans do not need a GP referral to access the service.
She said: "Anyone can refer themselves to us. The important thing is that the mental health difficulty is related to military service. We welcome self-referrals and encourage anyone who feels they may benefit from support to get in touch."
Veterans seeking support can contact the service directly via Referrals - Veterans Wales https://www.veteranswales.co.uk/how-to-self-refer.html or contact us on: sbu.veterans@wales.nhs.uk for more details.
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