MC 35
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
2400 Members, over half of whom were injured in World War II. We also look after widows of members, which
number 1900.
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
