Memorandum from the British Limbless Ex-Service
Men's Association (BLESMA)
The British Limbless Ex-Service Men's
Association (BLESMA) supports all serving and ex- service men
and women who lose limbs or the use of limbs in service and those
who lose an eye or the use of an eye. Amongst its objectives is
the provision of a professional welfare service and it runs two
care homes. For new amputees it provides a conciliary service
and a number of challenging and social rehabilitation events.
By way of example in December 2006 we had new Members injured
earlier in the year learning to ski in the Rocky Mountains. We
are acknowledged experts on the old War Pension Scheme and very
involved with high profile injury aspects of the new AFCS 05.
BLESMA has 2,400 Members, over half of whom were injured in World
War II. We also look after widows of members, which number 1,900.
The Association knows every BLESMA category
casualty of recent conflicts including Afghanistan and Iraq. It
knows all serving amputees—and keeps the MoD up to date
in this respect. There are presently nearly approximately 60 serving
BLESMA category personnel. There have been, we believe, 51 BLESMA
category injuries in Afghanistan and Iraq—More than half
of these in the last 16 months. Thus far comparatively few have
left HM Forces. We support realistic retention and we hope that
where eventual medical discharge is unavoidable that it does not
take place until the soldier is as fit and ready for civilian
life as is possible.
BLESMA is very familiar with Selly Oak.
Naturally we lament the closure of military hospitals but we do
believe that to sustain high standards of technical medical care
today would be unrealistic, and could dilute medical availability
on the front line. We have watched the military presence evolve
within Selly Oak and our new Members generally respond well to
the nursing and welfare care they receive. We have seen distinct
improvements in medical care coordination in the sense that the
patient medical pathway though Selly Oak, sick leave and rehabilitation
at Headley Court is now much better. We believe there is some
evidence of discontinuity in welfare care aspects and we have
had to bring expertise and sometimes resources to bear—this
is more to do with lack of experience rather than lack of resources.
A typical example might be ensuring the parents' home is actually
suitable for a wheelchair—we can find the ramps, or knowing
how to enlist the (statutory) assistance of local authorities
in providing adequate social and nursing cover.
BLESMA has developed a good relationship
with military medical authorities and we are normally invited
to meet new amputees shortly after their arrival at Selly Oak.
An initial visit allows us to explain what BLESMA can do for those
still serving and what advice we are able to give regarding pensions/AFCS
and DWP allowances, which we have detailed knowledge and experience
of. Shortly thereafter one of our experienced professional Welfare
Officers (all former LE Officers) will visit with a BLESMA Member
bearing a similar injury.
This normally has a major and positive
impact and exposure to prosthetic application is usually a matter
of intense interest. The overriding object of this early exposure
is to map out the disabled life ahead optimistically but realistically.
We work and liaise closely with service welfare organisations
and they value our specialist knowledge and experience.
BLESMA does not provide prosthetic equipment.
We believe the state should always provide this and we do not
believe serving personnel or veterans should have to resort to
private providers. However prosthetic provision is vulnerable
to the vagaries of the "postcode lottery", an invidious
situation for serving soldiers and veterans. Hitherto MoD medical
authorities were not particularly aware of all the implications
as soldiers moved and were posted to different parts of the country.
We proposed to the MoD that a measure of centralised provision
could be set up using DMRC Headley Court. Our hope was that Headley
Court could become the centre of excellence for those newly injured
and their "limb centre" whilst they remained in service—wherever
they might be posted. For prosthetic users continuity is best
served through the relationships established at a limb centre.
We were more than pleased to hear that this service of care to
in-service prosthetics was to be extended to all those already
serving—if they so wished. We are pleased with the technical
provision being offered and we doubt that "limb centres"
around the country could afford some of the prescriptions on offer.
Our concern for the future is that this will highlight poor provision
due to under funding in a number of Trusts, when service men and
women are discharged in the years ahead. It is generally received
wisdom in the prosthetic industry, which provides services to
the DofH, that provision of much that is provided at Headley Court
would not be possible due to ever present financial constraints.
It has long been a BLESMA contention that disabled veterans did
not lose their limbs for a particular locality but for the whole
country. We have alerted the MoD to this problem and we have been
informed that structures and/or procedures are being explored
to deal with this problem. This is becoming urgent as medical
discharges are now beginning to take place for those who have
been prescribed high tech and expensive prosthetic equipment whilst
under MoD care.
BLESMA has a long history of providing
challenging rehabilitive training in a social environment. We
believe this compliments the excellent physical rehabilitation
casualties receive at Headley Court. We provide a special fellowship
of shared experience that not only provides practical advice and
support it also relieves the tensions and pressures that might
otherwise lead to damaging psychological injury. By way of example
we focus on developing amputee teamwork using offshore sailing
and adventure training weeks in Scotland, which help individual
confidence. In December we will be taking 15 Members to Colorado
as guests of the US Wounded Warrior Project for adaptive ski training.
10 members of our group will still be serving. We believe such
rehabilitation is an important part of the medical/healing process.
Generally we try to do all our rehabilitation "in house"—on
an amputee looking after amputee basis.
BLESMA is a body that represents serving
and ex service amputees individually and collectively. We will
work with government where our aims and intentions converge but
we campaign to right what we perceive to be wrong. In the field
of medical care there is much convergence and improvements in
prosthetic provision and rehabilitation are to be applauded. But—we
are with our Members for life and we remain on watch.
23 November 2007
| 
