UK

Fears for future care of injured troops

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The Government must show how the excellent medical care being delivered to injured Service personnel will continue long after the memory of the Afghan Operation fades.

That is the message from the Defence Committee - a powerful group of MPS - in a report published today.

The report praises the first class medical treatment provided for the Armed Forces, but questions whether the support for injured personnel will be sustainable over the long term.

In particular, the committee is concerned about the number of people who may go on to develop severe and life-limiting physical, mental health, alcohol or neurological problems.

Committee Chairman James Arbuthnot say there's still a question mark over whether the Government as a whole fully understands the likely future demands and related costs.

He said: "We, as a committee, have seen how determined our injured servicemen and women are to achieve the fullest possible recovery from their injuries.

"They see it as duty to get better and to return to their units if at all possible.

"And we have been impressed by the brave and skilful personnel, both military and civilian, who are providing the medical care that our Armed Forces need.

"But we need to have the confidence that such specific treatment, for injuries hardly ever seen in the general NHS experience, will continue long after an individual's retirement and into old age."

The Committee urges charities and the MOD to work even more closely together to make sure new capital projects can be sustained if donations drop off in future years.