COMPARE THE CARE

Anyone who has expressed concern about the care of injured people in Iraq or Afghanistan, should take a look at www.FISHERHOUSE.org and compare how our Allies treat their wounded.

 

We have not really had a good record in this country as regards the care and treatment of our armed forces. After all it’s only twice a year any thought is given to them {Christmas and Remembrance week} by some of the unthankful celebratory infatuated oikes that we call Jo public.

 

U.S. veterans groups have massive support not just from the public but from those that weald power within Capitol Hill, they revear their veterans in a way that should shame our people.

If the British Legion had half as much clout as the U.S. veterans groups the buch of cowards in office now would have the self satisfied smarm wiped from their faces and our people would receive the dedicated care they require (and deserve)-not spread about the country in civi nhs hospitals but in places like the yank veterans.

At the very least open Haslar you tight fisted bastards, our people have done your bidding, they deserve more than you are giving.

-shameful.

 

The Fisher House story says that there is a Fisher House in every major US Forces medical facility.

UK plc has one Forces medical facility left, at Headley Court in Surrey, which can take comparatively few inpatients, although I have heard that there will be something akin to Portakabin accommodation there soon to increase its capacity.

The injured returning from points East who need long-term accommodation could be housed at Haslar, which, despite the antipathy of the Army is a very pleasant, quiet facility. It would be relatively easy to convert some of it to provide all the respite accommodation that the injured and their families might require, but it is an expensive place to run.

Move Headley's business to Haslar, thus losing the need to pay for Headley to balance the expense of running Haslar as a military unit again. Won't happen, because the gong seekers at the MOD just don't have the imagination or loyalty to put their people first.

 

Totaly agree with the above statement , it so piss'es me off ,

 

Totaly agree with you as well mate , so fxxxxxxxxxxg angry , would love to smack Tony Bliar , ******** , :twisted:

 

Is this a case the bean counters at work again? Ladies and gents.

 

I have, over the last year, made friends with an ex-booty here in the town where I live (Stamford in Lincs). He overheard me and the mrs chatting before I went off on Det last Oct and we just got chatting. He was medically discharged after being wounded on the Assault on Al-Faw in 2003. He's off to hospital just before the new year to have an operation on his spine, the mob won't even pay his transport there as they claim that as he was medically discharged, they no longer have a duty of care to him. Thankfully, the local branch of the RBL have helped him out. When I heard his story, I was enraged. We all take the p1ss out of the yanks, but it's good natured, and one thing I'd never deny is that they treat their ex-servicemen and women with respect, dignity and awe that they deserve.

 

Maybe the Mail or Telegraph will take this up as a cause celebre. I am sure that they keep an eye on the threads on here.

Worth pointing out that when UK was closing down its Service hospitals, the French commissioned several new ones. Service medicine and dentistry and quick access to treatment used to be one of the things that made it worth staying in, but now what have we got?

 

Maybe the UK can begin to send our wounded across to France to use their facilities on some sort of NHS deal ... or is that only reserved for important operations like breast enlargements and stomach reductions, etc?

The UK is without doubt utterly appalling when it comes to looking after its servicemen and women who are wounded in action or injured through the course of their duties.

Realistically it is not likely to change under the current regime and even with a change in government things are not likely to improve as the military is too expensive and is not a vote winner.

SF

 

My how things have changed for the worse.
When I left in the late eighties I was told by both RNH Stonehouse and H.M.S. Drake staff to keep in touch and register with RNH as they would always take care and look after me as their care for me did not stop when I left but was for life!
Things changed however when they closed the place down.

 

It's been said before, but the Military is not a vote winner because military personnel largely support the Conservatives and are therefore not of interest to Labour. I know this is a generalisation, and I don't want every labour voting member of RR to message me back!

Loads of people want to keep the good Ship HASLAR afloat but unfortuantely this is unlikely for reasons other than monetary (although that is the main one). Doctors and other staff in military hospitals don't see enough sick patients, which is a good thing, but it also means they are a bit out of practice when they do get one. Post-Shipman the Government has completely revamped medical regulation and made the whole process very paperwork based and complex. It basically means that doctors working with very few patients would have their professional skills brought into question and they would potentially lose their professional status.

It would seem to make sense to have some sort of partnership between HASLAR and the local Trust to rotate military doctors between the two sites thus keeping skills up to date, but this would apparently be too difficult to administer.

I have yet to speak to anyone who is happy to see HASLAR close, but have spoken to many (senior) Officers who say that the closure is, unfortunately, a foregone conclusion.

Oh, and the new Royal Centre for Defence Medicine is in wonderful Selly Oak in Birmingham - nice and convenient to the three base ports!

 

[quote="dt018a9667 When I left in the late eighties I was told by both RNH Stonehouse and H.M.S. Drake staff to keep in touch and register with RNH as they would always take care and look after me as their care for me did not stop when I left but was for life!
Things changed however when they closed the place down.[/quote]

I am afraid they spun you a dit! There have only been a very few people entitled to treatment through Service sources after leaving. At one time, but more than 25 years ago, you could expect to be treated at an RNH if you were at Cdr level or above when you retired, nada if less worthy. Certain veterans groups, eg Far East, were also afforded Service medical treatment, but nobody else. If you lived in the RNH Haslar or RNH Plymouth catchment areas your GP could have referred you for treatment, but that had nothing to do with your being ex-Service.