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Armed Forces: Seriously Injured Personnel

Answer

Severe physical injuries are defined in the internationally accepted definition of major trauma as those with an injury severity score (ISS) greater than 15. The following table presents the number and percentages of injured UK service personnel assessed with an ISS score greater than 15 resulting from service in Afghanistan or Iraq between 1 January 2003 and 14 October 2010. Personnel killed in action (KIA), where death occurred instantly or in a matter of minutes after injury before medical assistance was possible, are excluded from the numbers presented.

Table 1: Afghanistan and Iraq UK Service¹ injured including deaths with an ISS greater than 15, 1 January 2003 to 14 October 2010, numbers and percentages
			Year
Operation	Category	All	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Afghanistan	% Survival	80%	-		-	49%	83%	91%	85%	80%
	Survived (n)	269	0	0	0	18	34	29	100	88
	Died excluding KIA (n)	68	0	0	0	19	7	3	17	22
Iraq	% Survival	54%	25%	43%	80%	65%	56%	50%	0%	-
	Survived (n)	64	3	9	8	15	27	2	0	0
	Died excluding KIA (n)	55	9	12	2	8	21	2	1	0

"Notes:""1. Figures are for tri-service regular and reservist personnel." "1. Figures are for tri-service regular and reservist personnel." Since 2003 there are 23 UK survivors with an ISS of greater than 60 which is defined as an unsalvageable casualty. Information on severe physical injuries sustained during the first Gulf War is not held in the required format and could be provided at only disproportionate cost.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

3657; 722 c220-1WA

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Armed forces Armed conflict Injuries Iraq Iraq-Kuwait conflict Peacekeeping operations Afghanistan Mortality rates

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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