Seven deploy on mental health drugs

Seven Defence personnel have been deployed overseas while receiving medication for mental health conditions, a Senate committee has been told.

The revelation prompted Palmer United Party senator Jacqui Lambie to accuse Defence of giving anti-psychotic drugs to damaged people and sending them into combat where their condition could speedily deteriorate.

Between January 2012 and August 2014, seven members gone on operations while taking mental health related medication, commander of Defence health Robyn Walker said on Wednesday.

"Our policy is best practice and is informed by the wealth of medical literature," she told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra.

Each had been assessed as medically fit to deploy and to perform all defence-related tasks including carrying weapons.

There was a requirement the mental health condition not be active and medication be for maintenance only.

Rear-Admiral Walker said commonly-used medications did not result in adverse effects if they were not taken regularly.

"If you miss them for a day, two days, a week it is not going to create a rapid deterioration," she said.

Army chief David Morrison rejected Senator Lambie's suggestion that personnel were sent overseas repeatedly because the Defence force was too small.

Since 1999, 73,991 defence members have deployed abroad.

Just under 40 per cent had gone once; 23.9 per cent twice; 10.4 per cent six or more times.