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20 July 2009 : Column 870W—continued
Typically we achieve a decision as to which path the patient will follow, either to surgery or straight to physiotherapy/rehabilitation within 10-20 days of injury. Those needing only physiotherapy/rehabilitation treatment (the majority) are referred directly for treatment in one of the RRUs. Typically, these patients will start physiotherapy within four to six weeks of the decision on their treatment path.
Patients requiring physiotherapy following fast track surgery will receive this either at a local MOD Primary Care Rehabilitation Facility (PCRF) or by referral back to an RRU. This will usually commence within two weeks of surgery, depending upon the patient's individual and geographic circumstances. No strict measure of waiting times are taken, as each patient's care pathway is individually managed and co-ordinated by the referring RRU, and timescales will depend on continuing assessment and surgical outcome.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) at which armed forces medical centres the Defence Medical Information Capacity Programme is in use; and on what date the programme is expected to be introduced at medical centres where it is not yet in use; [283026]
(2) what mechanisms are in place to ensure the exchange of information between the Defence Medical Information Capacity Programme and health services in the devolved administrations; [283027]
(3) whether the roll-out of the Defence Medical Information Capability Programme has been completed; [283036]
(4) when the interface between the Defence Medical Information Capacity Programme and the NHS National Programme for IT is expected to be completed. [283082]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The roll-out of the Defence Medical Information Capability Programme (DMICP) is being undertaken in three parts, to fixed permanent defence medical facilities; to deployed defence medical facilities; and to enable information exchange with the NHS. The first part of the roll-out is now drawing to a close. The list of medical centres where DMICP is already in use and a list of the expected dates of implementation of DMICP in medical centres, where it is not yet in use will be placed in the Library of the House.
The second part of the roll-out is to cover deployed operational and maritime units. It is expected to start in September 2009 with field trials and pilot sites, with the main roll-out due to begin in January 2010. The deployed roll-out is expected to complete by December 2010, subject to any necessary rescheduling for operational reasons, ship upkeep and maintenance periods, and to reflect lessons learned from earlier phases.
Services to deliver the third part of the roll-out-the interface between DMICP and the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT)-will be introduced in a phased manner beginning later this year and are expected to be completed by the end of 2014.
Although NPfIT does not extend to the NHS in the devolved Administrations, we are in contact with their health officials so that as far as possible the same benefits, in terms of speedy and accurate exchange of data, will be available to defence patients and medical staff in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over the same period.
Armed Forces: Helicopters
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Army, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Royal Navy personnel (i) entered and (ii) completed pilot training for each helicopter type in each of the last five years. [284518]
Bill Rammell:
Initial training for all three Services is provided by the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) at Shawbury. Around 140 new pilots complete the training
each year. On completion of single engine training at DHFS, the three Services conduct separate training streams leading to the final phase in which pilots convert onto specific aircraft types. This is known as Operational Conversion Flight/Operational Conversion Unit training.
The numbers of armed forces personnel who entered and completed helicopter conversion to type pilot training, by each helicopter type, in the last five years, where data are available, are provided in the following tables.
| Royal Navy helicopters | ||||||||
| Personnel numbers | ||||||||
| Merlin Mk1 | Lynx Mk8 | Sea King | Sea King Commando | |||||
| Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed | |
| Army Air Corps helicopters | ||||||
| Personnel numbers | ||||||
| Gazelle | Lynx | Apache | ||||
| Service | Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed |
| Royal Air Force helicopters | ||||||||
| Personnel numbers | ||||||||
| Chinook | Puma | Merlin Mk 3 | Sea King | |||||
| Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed | Entered | Completed | |
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