---

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Answer

The MOD collates statistics of those personnel evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan to the Royal Centre of Defence Medicine (RCDM) located at University Hospital Birmingham Foundation Trust (UHBFT) which is the main receiving hospital trust for those service personnel who are medically evacuated from overseas. In the period 1 April until 30 September 2007 RCDM had admitted 197 UK service patients from Iraq and 222 UK service patients from Afghanistan to UHBFT and other NHS hospitals in the Birmingham area. The figures relate to patients aeromedically evacuated from theatre which are as a result of battle injuries, non battle injuries and disease. They do not include patients being reviewed or returning for further surgery following earlier treatment in the UK. The breakdown of these figures is set out as follows.

	Iraq	Afghanistan
Battle field injuries	88	111
Non-battle field injuries	70	59
Disease	39	52
Total	197	222

Other less seriously injured patients may be seen at other NHS facilities, however no central records are held and accurate information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However on average, the total number of military in-patients in NHS hospitals across the UK is, typically, about 60 to 75 for all illnesses and injuries, however sustained.The MOD does not normally use the NHS for treatment of psychological injuries. Military patients suffering from psychological injuries are treated either by mental health professionals deployed in theatre or at one of 15 MOD Military Departments of Community Mental Health or, for those requiring in-patient treatment, at private facilities under contract from the Priory Group.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

155720; 464 c696-7W

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Iraq Peacekeeping operations Afghanistan

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk