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13 Dec 2007 : Column 875W—continued


13 Dec 2007 : Column 876W

13 Dec 2007 : Column 877W

13 Dec 2007 : Column 878W

Medical Treatments Abroad: France

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions Ministers have had with their EU counterparts on the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on (a) the provision of healthcare to English nationals in France and (b) electronic patient record-sharing across Europe. [172901]

Dawn Primarolo: Neither of these subjects was on the agenda of last weeks Employment, Social, Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council. In addition to regular meetings between officials there has been bilateral contact at ministerial level with the French Government about the provision of healthcare to United Kingdom nationals in France.

There have been no recent discussions at ministerial level on electronic patient record-sharing across Europe.

Mental Health Services: Armed Forces

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the provision of healthcare by his Department to former servicemen and women with combat stress. [172886]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department takes very seriously the health needs of our troops when they return from serving their country. From 1948, successive Governments have been clear that healthcare for veterans is the responsibility of the national health service. We recently announced an extension of priority treatment provisions for veterans as well as the establishment, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, of the first pilot projects aimed at making our mental health services more accessible to ex-service personnel.


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In addition, the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme will improve access to talking treatments to all victims of trauma, including those affected by combat experience. This programme has been funded by £170 million of new money and will eventually provide coverage to all parts of the country.


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