Surgeon General responds
to Healthcare Commission review of military medical care
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
News Release (044 / 2009) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 2
March 2009
The Ministry of
Defence today welcomed the Healthcare Commission's first ever
review of Defence Medical Services (DMS). The independent report
praised the MoD's trauma care and rehabilitation facilities
as 'exemplary.'
The Healthcare Commission commended the quality of care provided
to service personnel in challenging operational environments,
highlighting the ability to quickly reach and treat casualties.
Innovations in the treatment of major injuries and the design of
our field hospitals are also praised.
The Healthcare Commission highlighted the quality of the
rehabilitation services we offer at the Defence Medical
Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court and at our Regional
Rehabilitation Units.
The Healthcare Commission's review was conducted at the
invitation of the Armed Forces' Surgeon General Lieutenant
General Louis Lillywhite, who is responsible for healthcare
delivered to the Royal Navy, Army and RAF, and their dependents
overseas and in the UK. This model of external audit will be
continued in future.
The report identified certain areas where DMS can improve, such
as the maintenance and cleanliness of some medical centres and the
need to introduce new ambulances in Cyprus.
Commenting on today's report, Surgeon General Lillywhite said:
"I am grateful to the Healthcare Commission for carrying out
their independent assessment of Defence Medical Services. This
review rightly praises areas where we are delivering first class
medical care and will help us meet the high standards our
servicemen and women deserve by driving through improvement where needed.
"The review has endorsed the excellent care we offer our
personnel injured on operations, particularly our trauma care, our
ability to reach and treat casualties and the training we give our
deployed medical personnel. This is testament to the
professionalism and courage of our medical staff that deploy to
Iraq and Afghanistan and to the dedication of the individuals and
organizations back in the UK who support them. As the Healthcare
Commission has suggested, I have already started discussions with
NHS colleagues to plan how we shall share our best practice.
"The review also recommended improvements be made in certain
areas. Action has already been taken to deliver improvements. I
have appointed an Inspector General, Surgeon Rear Admiral Philip
Raffaelli, who will ensure that all recommendations made in this
review are implemented in full."
The Ministry of Defence is committed to meeting all the
Healthcare Commission's recommendations. We have already
remedied a number of the more serious problems identified in our
infrastructure, we are working on the rest and will carry out a
review of our other facilities to identify and address any similar
deficiencies. Action is also underway to replace all our
ambulances in Cyprus by July this year.
Notes to Editors
1. The Healthcare Commission carried out their review of Defence
Medical Services between June and December 2008. The review
assessed the care provided to Armed Forces personnel and their
dependents in the UK, at bases overseas and in operational theatres.
2. The report will be available to view online from Monday at the
Healthcare Commission's website http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/homepage.cfm
3. For further information, please contact Paul Leat in the MoD
Press Office on 0207 218 7931.