Responding to the Plenary debate on the support for veterans’ William Graham (Conservative Assembly member for South Wales East) calls for the urgent implementation of the Assembly’s Health Committee recommendation in February 2011 that the Ministry of Defence should ensure veterans’ service histories are logged in their medical records.
“I understand that defence organisations consider operational details to be confidential; however crucial information about combat engagements could significantly speed up diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)”.
“It was acknowledged that ex-service personnel were falling through the gaps in current services and that each year in Wales between 15-25 (PTSD).men and women leave the police and armed forces suffering from PTSD”.
“I am aware that the MOD is reviewing the information it provides, but there are gaps in medical notes if this crucial information is not shared with GP’s; especially as PTSD – is a psychological response to an event of an intensely traumatic nature which can take many years to surface, maybe years after leaving service and may not be connected delaying accurate diagnosis”.
