BMA response to Sponsored Reservists scheme for Armed forces doctors - 04 Apr 08

• Extract from : http://tinyurl.com/5o934j

Responding to Alan Johnson’s announcement1 of a “Sponsored Reservist” scheme, Dr Brendan McKeating, Chairman of the BMA’s Armed Forces Committee said:
“The new scheme to supply sponsored reservist NHS specialists might appear to help plug manning gaps in the short-term, but it does nothing to solve the serious ongoing problem of under manning of fully trained military doctors that is being exacerbated by exceptionally high operational tempo and repeated deployments.
“The Ministry of Defence’s own figures show that the Defence Medical Services have only half the fully trained doctors they need2. The under manning problem is critical and better incentives such as improved pay and conditions need to be urgently implemented in order to retain fully trained, deployable doctors in the military. “

He added:

• “If NHS staff are used as sponsored reserves they need to receive appropriate training, so that they can work in a fully integrated way with regulars and reservists who have already been deployed.
• “We would also urge caution in sending civilians to operational theatres, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, in the direct line of fire when their training cannot possibly match that of doctors in the regulars or reserves. It is for this reason that in the past, similar initiatives using civilian locums have been tried and failed. “

Notes:
1 In a speech to senior NHS managers and Reservist healthcare personnel this evening at the Imperial War Museum, Manchester, Health Secretary Alan Johnson will highlight how the "Sponsored Reservists" scheme - which allows personnel with key skills to deploy for short periods without a regular role in the Reserve Forces - is being developed to support the Armed Forces in specialisms where there are particular pressures, such as intensive care, emergency medicine and
neurosurgery.

2 There remains a shortfall of 47% in fully trained, deployable doctors. The deficits in trained strength are felt most in crucial specialties such as surgery (50% shortfall), general medicine (45% shortfall), psychiatry (54% shortfall) and rehabilitation medicine (58% shortfall) reference. (Data supplied by MOD. Figures as at 1 April 2007)

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DH - Health Secretary promotes greater NHS support for deployed armed forces

• Extract from : http://tinyurl.com/6dryop
  

Plans are being made for highly skilled NHS specialists to be able to deploy on short operational assignments to places such as Iraq and Afghanistan to provide specialist care to our Armed Forces.

In a speech to senior NHS managers and Reservist healthcare personnel this evening at the Imperial War Museum, Manchester, Health Secretary Alan Johnson will highlight how the "Sponsored Reservists" scheme - which allows personnel with key skills to deploy for short periods without a regular role in the Reserve Forces - is being developed to support the Armed Forces in specialisms where there are particular pressures, such as intensive care, emergency medicine and neurosurgery.

He will also highlight the very important role played by NHS staff who serve in Britain's Reserve and Volunteer Forces. He will urge the NHS to be supportive of staff who are interested in volunteering. Not only do they play a vital part in caring for the Armed Forces, but they learn new skills which benefit them and NHS patients. During a three month operational tour in Iraq or Afghanistan, a Reservist will typically deal with more trauma than during fifteen years working for the NHS - as well as learning important things like leadership, communication, adaptability and teamwork.

The "Sponsored Reservists" scheme is being examined by the Defence Medical Services working with the NHS - in particular with University College London Hospital Trust - to fill vital roles and supplement the large numbers of Volunteer Reservists working alongside full time military healthcare colleagues in operational theatres. Currently 21% of all healthcare staff caring for the British Forces in Afghanistan are NHS Reservists.

Alan Johnson will also emphasise the importance of ensuring that the Armed Forces and veterans get the health services that they need, and that service families are not disadvantaged in terms of access to health care because of frequent moves.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said:

• "With ongoing military commitments across the globe, the role of Reservists has never been more important. And I believe that all NHS Trusts can benefit from encouraging their employees to be Reservists. The skills that they learn on their operational tours in places like Iraq and Afghanistan are absolutely invaluable and the care they provide to our Armed Forces is second to none.
• "The majority of those who join the Armed Forces are in better health when they leave the service than when they join up. But there are also those returning from active service with serious injuries or life long health problems. These men and women deserve the best possible healthcare.
• "The NHS has a duty to make sure that serving personnel and their families are not disadvantaged in accessing NHS care as a result of frequent moves. Recent guidance makes clear that people who are on waiting lists but, for whatever reason, have moved to a different area, should not be penalised by falling down any waiting lists for treatment.
• "And last November I announced that we would extend the right to priority treatment on the NHS to include all veterans with service-related conditions, regardless of whether they are war pensioners or not".

As well as speaking at the dinner organised by SaBRE - the Ministry of Defence's organisation to support reservists and employers - the Health Secretary will meet NHS military reservists from 208 Field Hospital who have recently returned from a deployment to Afghanistan, to hear their first hand experiences. He will also visit Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to find out more about their Quality Improvement Strategy designed to save patients lives and reduce risk, as well as meeting staff and patients in an elderly care ward to talk about work being undertaken to reduce incidences of C-Difficile and health care associated infections.

Notes:
1) We estimate that there are currently 1600 NHS staff in the British Reserve Forces.

2) In November 2007, the Government announced the extension of the previous arrangements for priority NHS treatment for war pensioners to all veterans, in relation to service-related conditions. At the same time, pilots were launched to provide community mental health services for veterans.

3) The September 2007 Establishing the Responsible Commissioner guidance makes it clear that personnel who are discharged from the Armed Forces and who are undergoing a continuing care package should receive continuity of care in the NHS.

4) MoD is currently working with Department of Health and the NHS to consider establishing relationships with a small number of NHS facilities that could offer the right prostheses services for discharged members of the Armed Forces.

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