British medics in Helmand buy own dressings

[ORAC]

Torygraph: British medics in Helmand buy own dressings (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/20/wafghan120.xml)

Medics on the front line in Afghanistan are so short of life-saving equipment they have to buy items on the internet, Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, has been told.

The aunt of a combat medic working in Helmand province informed Mr Browne that her nephew had to buy two £10 chest seals from a website.

The scandal of poor medical provision comes after The Daily Telegraph disclosed this week that casualty rates in Afghanistan and Iraq were close to passing the 11 per cent rate sustained by units in the Second World War.

The troops are still experiencing kit shortages more than a year after deploying to Afghanistan despite Tony Blair's promise that the military would have any equipment it needed before he left office.

In a letter to Mr Browne, Alison Wiltshire, the aunt of the medic she names only as "Dan", quoted directly from a letter he sent her. He wrote: "If the public knew what was happening out here then they would demand an end to it instantly."

Colleagues would die unnecessarily because a lack of funding meant that he was ill-equipped to deal with emergencies, the soldier said.

A pouch containing vital first aid equipment was taken from him and "given to people in more hostile areas".

"What do we have to treat them? Well I have nothing, despite being a team medic."

Miss Wiltshire, from north London, told Mr Browne: "I am utterly appalled that we are sending young men and women to war without even the most basic of medical care. This Government should be ashamed of itself."

[ZH875]

IIRC some medical bloke at the secret Wiltshire airbase get an award not so long ago, for getting rid of almost half of the medical supplies held there?.

Of course, this meant less work counting and looking after stock we will never need.:ugh:

[pr00ne]

What? They buy on line and get delivered to an operational base in Afghanistan?

[ORAC]

If you bothered to read the letter in the linked article, he bought them in the UK before deploying because he, "just knew what the army was like". They subsequently withdrew his medical pouch, so he would seem to have been correct in his assessment.

You might make the assumption that he in a slightly less hostile environment but, if his aunt is to be believed, he has had two people die on him in two days. So, as a medic, medical supplies might be useful.

[pr00ne]

Thanks ORAC, couldn't open the link so I appreciate the info.

Does seem to be totally at odds with what ALL senior commandes in theatre are saying about the level of supply. The business of taking away his medical pouch is horribly reminisent of what happened to the tank commander in Iraq with his body armour.
Shouldn't the BAFF be getting involved in cases like this?

[tucumseh]

I can say, without fear of contradiction, that it is MoD POLICY that Service personnel are expected to buy certain kit. I have on more than one occasion asked why the Customer was making no financial provision for fundamental kit. The answer (from serving officers) was, they have to buy it themselves. It's why Silvermans in Warminster do a roaring trade.

I know of one example where very expensive comms, which clearly hadn't been specified or tested properly, only worked in theatre because a soldier bought the correct ancillaries from a boot sale. Over £1k I recall. (I understand mess funds covered it). I watched him set it up and it worked a treat, but of course this is only a rumour forum and MoD would deny it.

Disgraceful abrogation of responsibility and duty of care.

[Report Line]

In my line of work I have worked with the Army on many occasions (including a two year exchange tour and a war). I can honestly say that when it came to the crunch and soldiers were lacking equipment little interest was shown by the powers that be. The Corps officers were slightly better than the Inf. In fact some of the scams conducted by the QM (which actively prevented kit being issued) were criminal - and subsequently proven to be so.

That said - this is one letter. I do feel somewhat uneasy when this sort of issue is catapulted into the national news with 'strategic effect' by our journo friends who may or may not have a hidden agenda. Perhaps we should delay judgement till things come out in the wash.

PS (top tip)

When on an exchange tour with the Army get the parenting arrangements (admin, stores etc) sorted so that you are covered by the nearest RAF Unit (even if its 150 miles away). When going on a detachment to hot places have your kit sent from the RAF Spt unit to your home rather than the QM's cos the QM will open the box - take what he wants and give you what he cannot swop/sell/barter in the Sgt's mess.

RL

[ChristopherRobin]

cos the QM will open the box - take what he wants and give you what he cannot swop/sell/barter in the Sgt's mess

RL showing his prejudice against and ignorance of the army here, rather than any 'top tip' for, as any fule kno, the QM resides in the officers' mess.

I'd pay more attention on my next exchange tour RL, if I were you. Who was it with anyway, the AGC?

[SALAD DODGER]

Been told that not allowed to take morpine out with me now due to a rule change! Will now have to beg, borrow or blag some in Theatre.... Better not ask a medic. Near impossible to get one of the new field dressings, have also been forced to buy own medical kit:ugh:

[Report Line]

Chris,

he was introduced to me as the QM. May have had SQMS on the door but what the heck. Anyway - never heard of cross Mess bartering? The fact was.....oh forget it!

RL

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

RL,

Ignore Chris as he has a real penchant for being precious when someone has the temerity to criticise his lot :rolleyes:

What you say has a ring of truth as there are a few light blue chaps in our knockers mess who whilst, attached to Army units wish to be parented by us for a whole host of reasons, but mostly to avoid the often ludicrous financial penalties of being in an Army Mess :ugh:

[Report Line]

SFFP,

thanks for the leg up. Fact is, we should all get what we need when we go and do the stuff (in Camelstan) and not be subject to indiscipline and shark dealings - wherever that comes from and from whichever Service (was that English?). Hic! bit too late on a Friday night. Anyhow - cheers:O

RL

[The Helpful Stacker]

Its not always a simple case of Army QM's being not so good RAF being better. Quite a few RAF personnel based in London preferred to come to RAF Headley Court for their kitting than RAF Uxbridge as the civvy storemen at Uxbridge were legendary for their tightfistedness.

Some Army units also are not too bad, although I've never had to one for one exchange AA batteries at any RAF unit but I have on a few Army ones.

Report Line - I fully agree with you. Getting hold of kit you are entitled to shouldn't have to involve bartering to get it out of stores. I have always done my best to get hold of what personnel are entitled to and even if they aren't strictly entitled I'll see what I can do. Sometimes such things as a few extra pairs of socks can make all the difference when deployed.

Unfortunately many storemen/suppliers act as if they have to pay for the stock out of their own pocket which gives those of us who try to help our fellow service personnel just get on with life a bad name. Of course there should be some control on certain restricted kit to enable the small amount of stock to go to those who really require it but the system has plenty of flex in it if you know how to use it. Unfortunately my colleagues in Clothing Stores of a certain North Hampshire RAF camp seem to be firmly in the "you can't have it, someone else might want it" camp and even people who share the same trade struggle to get items they are entitled to out of them.

[Report Line]

HS

In GW1 took my unit 3 bottles of 12 yr old to get a CVR(T) engine from an Army rear corps depot, which according to the green screen had a non-availibility!

[The Helpful Stacker]

That is disgusting. Its stories like that that give the logistics branches such a bad name.

[R 21]

SALAD DODGER

100% agree. I'm currently in the sand pit and cant for love nor money get either the new field dressing or the turnoquet which apparently as soon as we arrived we would get!! :mad:

[Climebear]

My last kitting experience at the hands of an Army QM's department couldn't have been better.

I was kitted out at Chilwell RMTC prior to joining a very small UK contingent in a UN Observer Mission. On entering the QM's stores we were simply asked what we wanted - what we asked for we got (which was nice). Oh and they didn't want any of it back at the end of the tour.

Celer et Audax

[blogger]

If you don't have the kit to do the job then put your gun down park your bum until you get the kit.

Once everyone does this things will change. Until then the MP's will turn a blind eye.

Simple fact of life. Sorry but after 25 years service I can't put up this any more.



Yes my PVR is in. Chuff chart is counting down.