Surgeon General responds to dedicated military hospital criticism
(MOD, 13 August) Surgeon General, Lieutenant General Louis Lillywhite, has responded to recent comments in the media which criticise the absence of a dedicated hospital to deal solely with military personnel.
There are currently wards available in various NHS facilities across the UK which cater specifically for servicemen and women.
Responding to the articles, The Surgeon General wrote:
The idea that the medical care for our Armed Forces would somehow be better if we created a dedicated military hospital in the UK is just plain wrong. I am absolutely clear that it is no longer clinically viable to maintain such a facility. Simply put, the NHS is the best place to treat our injured Service personnel and to train our military consultants, doctors and nurses...
5. BAFF seeks not to turn the clock back to the previous network of Military Hospitals, but argues that the present system requires more attention and investment before it fully comes up to the claims made for it. Anything less than world-class medical services for our country's armed forces will damage recruitment, retention and operational efficiency. We welcome improvements which have been made. We also draw attention to a number of concerns relating to the after-care of discharged personnel, especially in the area of mental health.
6. It is, of course, the norm for advanced countries to maintain dedicated military hospitals for their armed forces. The former Naval Hospitals, British Military Hospitals, and RAF Hospitals had much to commend them, and criticisms of them by those seeking to justify the present arrangements have sometimes been exaggerated. An updated, streamlined system of military hospitals is theoretically feasible, although the investment required for a fresh start would be daunting...
British Armed Forces Federation - Representing the Professionals
