Many problems with re-opening the old military hospital system.
1. Not enough in numbers required of medical and nursing staff with expertise clinically to open such a unit within the current force structure. Reserve forces are continually being mobilised and individuals 'cherry picked' from reserve units to fill gaps in regular units as they do not have the numbers of staff and at times expertise, for instance A/E and Critical Care.
2. Lack of will on the part of civil serpents and slime ball politicians to provide funds to new build a unit for HM Forces, as a stand alone and more importantly secure unit at, for instance Selly Oak, which would provide access to high level facilities. I agree with Green Flash that it would have to be a secondary level facility concerned with post critical care and rehabilitation of the ill and injured.
3. Not enough senior officers in both the MoD and DMS who are willing to put their pensions on the line to hammer a few desks.
4. Next incumbent of No 10 will try again to slash operational budgets to save money !!!
5. Old system of hospitals did support the local NHS but at present the problem would be moving any none service patient out of a military unit when you need the bed. The maternity unit at PMRAF(H) Halton had a superb maternity unit, all the local mothers tried to use that rather than the local hospital as standards and services were so much better, but they could have been moved out at a moments notice if the beds were required for others uses, and the same went for any other speciality in the hospital, try that today.
6. As an ex PM I would happily to go back as a civvie ( too old and grey to be running around as I used to be) working in an military hospital if there was one near where I live. I suspect that many ex forces nurses would be more than happy to undertake such a commitment as obviously as a full time regular service in HM forces may not be an option, but it would release others to be deployed.
7. This is a thread that will run and run until someone grasps the nettle and makes a decision. That I do not expect any time soon.
Finally to all those who are ill and injured get well soon, and those of us in the NHS, we will always try a little bit harder whenever possible to get you home to your loved ones.
Last edited by air pig; 31st May 2007 at 19:24.