Defence written question – answered at on 25 June 2007.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of HM armed forces who (a) lost limbs, (b) suffered brain injury and (c) have been identified with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have received an appointment for psychiatric support within six months of injury in each of the last five years; how many have been waiting more than six months; and how many have not been referred.
Those service personnel who have received a serious physical injury are treated as a matter of priority, most often at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and then at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre. As part of their hospital care, they will receive psychological assessment and, if necessary, treatment can commence. If required, patients can be referred later to a military Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH).
For those who do not have a serious physical injury, if their GP judges that they might be suffering from an operational related mental health condition (for example PTSD), then they will be referred to a DCMH for a detailed multidisciplinary assessment of their condition. If it is confirmed that the individual is suffering from a mental illness such as PTSD, they will receive specialist treatment at a DCMH or, if in-patient care is required, a Priory Group Facility.
Our mental health services operate in line with best practice to provide community-based mental health care. Our model for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment meets the standards set by the independent National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
We have established 15 military DCMHs across the UK (plus satellite centres overseas) to provide out-patient mental health care. The MOD's performance indicators require urgent cases to be seen within 24 hours and others within 20 working days of referral. The DCMHs function within these requirements and we are not aware of, nor would we expect there to be, any patients who had to wait in excess of six months for a referral.
It remains the case that medical discharge from the UK armed forces due to psychological illness is low. Out of almost 180,000 Regular Service personnel only about 150, or less than 0.1 per cent. are discharged annually for mental health reasons, whatever the cause. Of these, only 20 to 25 meet the criteria to be diagnosed with PTSD.
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sarah horvath
Posted on 29 Jun 2007 4:43 pm (Report this annotation)
To Derek Twigg,
So ok you say the MOD will make sure that the SERVING personnel get the right treatment required for PTSD, but what about the Veterans who have done their time and served Queen & country ???
I am a carer of a Army Veteran who 23years AFTER service was diagnosed with having PTSD.
If you please explain to me what treatment the veterans get from the MOD the GOV and NHS, or are they not good enough to have the same if not better treatment as many of them have been suffering in silence for many years, to scared to say anything in case people think they are mad.
Yes some go to Combat Stress, but a lot are left out for many reasons. But they are so busy the veterans are lucky to able to visit for treatment twice a year, some dont even get treatment while visiting, I know a few that ask for treatment when they got there but dont get it.
My husband is one of the lucky one he has a great family supporting him but he still is unable to live at home due to PTSD, he is so scared of hurting me while having a really bad nightmare or flashback. He has to live in a hostel with other veterans. I'm even more lucky that he has not turned to self medicating with drugs or alcohol, which then leads on to crime and violence, and end up in prison like a lot of other veterans.
So with what I have said don't you think that it would be better to help the veterans out and give them some pride back.
IF IT WASN'T FOR SOME OF THESE VETERANS BRITIAN WOULD NOT HAVE STAYED A FREE COUNTRY.
Give the veterans treatment to help them fit back into society, and to show that we are proud of what they had to go through. Yes I know we have Veterans day , great for one day a year the government acknowledges them what about the other 364 days.
Yours Sincerely
Sarah Horvath