Today’s defence news review looks at veterans’ medical treatment, overweight troops, travel costs for staff and the long-anticipated opening of the Invictus Games in Florida.
HEADLEY COURT
The BBC reports the Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, has announced that veterans will for the first time join serving personnel in being treated at Headley Court. Veterans with amputation-related medical issues, as a result of recent operations, can now attend a clinic at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, it is reported. Six veterans have been seen at the clinic since it started operating in March.
While veterans’ healthcare remains the responsibility of the NHS, they now have access to staff at Headley Court who have acquired a huge amount of experience over the last decade in managing the rehabilitation of military casualties with complex trauma injuries. You can read more about the announcement here.
The Defence Secretary said:
These men and women have made enormous sacrifices to keep Britain safe. This is about making sure they get the best possible treatment.
'OVERWEIGHT' PERSONNEL
The Sunday Times reports that more than 270 overweight members of the Armed Forces have been prescribed diet pills in the last two years to ensure they are fit for duty, according to statistics provided under Freedom of Information. The article adds that at least 20 personnel – 10 men and 10 women – have also received liposuction, and suggests this shows that the military is facing the same obesity problems as the rest of society.
Our statement on this issue is below:
It is a condition of service that our personnel must be fit and healthy and the vast majority pass regular, challenging fitness tests.
All Armed Forces personnel are educated in nutrition, diet and exercise while prevention measures help individuals maintain a healthy weight. In some circumstances additional measures may be considered in order to achieve this.
HOTELS
The Sun writes that military top brass have stayed in dozens of luxury hotels, costing taxpayers up to £800 a night. The article said the MOD’s spend on travel and hotels has risen for the fourth year in a row to £222 million. Our statement on this is below:
MOD staff only stay in hotels when it is the most cost-effective way to do business. We’ve made significant savings on travel costs, of nearly £14m in the last financial year, but we will always work hard to deliver the best value for money for the taxpayer.
INVICTUS GAMES
Multiple papers, including the Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, Sunday Express and the Sun, carry articles about Prince Harry and the start of the second Invictus Games in Orlando. Articles look forward to the opening ceremony this evening, as well as looking back on Prince Harry’s own Army career as he calls on everyone to get behind the Games, which help change the lives and help heal the invisible injuries of war through sport.
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