Headley Court to close and move to Leicestershire
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Oh deary deary me,
I was only joking when I was bantering Melchy in this thread a few months ago about the hypothetical closure of Headley Court after the closure of Peterborough.
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...rate-spin.html
Another piece of salami slicing? Part of a Grand Strategic plan for a medical 'super base'? Another way for the MoD to help the NHS out (or vice versa)?
Irrespective this really does suggest to the layman a complete incompetence in any planning. If this was always the intent then why were we as the bucket rattlers, charity walkers, riders and swimmers and the donating public not made aware that the H4H (plus other mil charities) projects at Headley Court would be closed within a few years of being put to good use?
I trust that there will be an independent audit called by the Trustees to establish exactly how much charity money will have been wasted in not having a robust plan post Afghan.
To us Serving Personnel I personally believe that this is just another example of exactly what the current HMG intend to do with the 'peace dividends' from an Afghan withdrawl. Standby for more snippets here and there of cut backs to the military being 'leaked' into the media.
Only when one stands back and views the sum of capabilities either lost or watered down will the true impact be recognised.
Now, sadly it really wouldn't surprise me to see RCDM at QE Birmingham also close, after the painful and very public transition from Selly Oak that played on the minds of many Service Personnel on Ops knowing that the media were reporting a dysfunctional casualty/medical evacuation system for injured personnel.
Just as we get our casualty system right at QE Birmingham I sense they will close it, for us to re-learn all those horrid lessons from Iraq and the early Afghan years again.
Certainly made me think about where my money goes with Military Charities!
I was only joking when I was bantering Melchy in this thread a few months ago about the hypothetical closure of Headley Court after the closure of Peterborough.
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...rate-spin.html
Another piece of salami slicing? Part of a Grand Strategic plan for a medical 'super base'? Another way for the MoD to help the NHS out (or vice versa)?
Irrespective this really does suggest to the layman a complete incompetence in any planning. If this was always the intent then why were we as the bucket rattlers, charity walkers, riders and swimmers and the donating public not made aware that the H4H (plus other mil charities) projects at Headley Court would be closed within a few years of being put to good use?
I trust that there will be an independent audit called by the Trustees to establish exactly how much charity money will have been wasted in not having a robust plan post Afghan.
To us Serving Personnel I personally believe that this is just another example of exactly what the current HMG intend to do with the 'peace dividends' from an Afghan withdrawl. Standby for more snippets here and there of cut backs to the military being 'leaked' into the media.
Only when one stands back and views the sum of capabilities either lost or watered down will the true impact be recognised.
Now, sadly it really wouldn't surprise me to see RCDM at QE Birmingham also close, after the painful and very public transition from Selly Oak that played on the minds of many Service Personnel on Ops knowing that the media were reporting a dysfunctional casualty/medical evacuation system for injured personnel.
Just as we get our casualty system right at QE Birmingham I sense they will close it, for us to re-learn all those horrid lessons from Iraq and the early Afghan years again.
Certainly made me think about where my money goes with Military Charities!
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The thing that gets me about it all is the new facility is going to cost £300 million met from donations.....
Just imagine what Headley Court could have done with the £300 million if they stayed put!
It would have been the icing on the cake to have those funds available to them.
I must agree, it makes me wary of ever donating again.. £8,000,000 for a pool that will be redundant in a couple of years and a lot of equipment is a lot of dedicated tin rattlers free time and public donations wasted... That is why I hoped the NHS or similar could use the facilities.
Just imagine what Headley Court could have done with the £300 million if they stayed put!
It would have been the icing on the cake to have those funds available to them.
Certainly made me think about where my money goes with Military Charities!
ISTR HC was pretty tightly constrained by its site, which will not apply at the new place. However, I seriously worry at the loss of assets, many donated, as a result of the move.
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MaroonMan4 - I do not believe that the media were reporting a dysfunctional evacuation system - it was and is excellent - but that there were issues surrounding care at Selly Oak. The transition to QE11 was never a problem and has been an outstanding example of collaborative working. The issue was, and I must admit to have been part of the system at the time, a question of corporate denial, guilt and using the medics as an easy bashing board. The Army G1/4 system could not cope and their CoC were writing cheques they could not cash. H4H was borne from a dinner party following a spurious conversation between CGS and OC Headley Court, who sadly did not survive first contact. My diaries of the shenanigans at the time are quite clear and comprehensive and I feel strongly that as time goes by, decent and honourable individuals will be maligned; I will defend where appropriate.
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4fitter,
Please do not think for one moment that I was having a pop at those involved with Selly Oak, but as someone that was out in Afghan in 06 the confidence in the medevac system was low. As you know between 06 and about 09 the summer offensives saw a significant number of casualties deposited back in UK by a rapidly developing MERT and Aeromed only to have issues with numbers of beds and correctly trained/experienced staff to treat them.
This resulted in military patients either ending up on inappropriate wards or in really remote hospitals all around the UK with absolutely no facilities for family, whom had to initially pay accommodation costs in places where the NHS had spare beds.
What we have in RCDM is superb with a miltary ward in a very shiney new hospital that has learnt all of the harsh lessons during a very kinetic conflict.
My point is that hypothetically on paper now that Afghan is a distant memory for many to close RCDM and all of that corporate knowledge accrued between Military and NHS staff alike.
It took us nearly 10 years to get it right with Iraq and Afghan, and my fear is that we will take the same amount of time, heart ache and cost to re-learn those lessons for the campaigns around the corner.
As with everything in the military, Selly Oak's issues came from the misguided belief that 'just enough, just in time' would work for military patients. And we cannot blame the NHS either as allegedly we the military promise to staff NHS wards with military medical specialists only to see them rapidly re-deployed in time of conflict or manning pinch points occur. This resulted in much mistrust between the NHS and the military that I believe RCDM and QE Birmingham have resolved and proven to work over the years.
Please do not think for one moment that I was having a pop at those involved with Selly Oak, but as someone that was out in Afghan in 06 the confidence in the medevac system was low. As you know between 06 and about 09 the summer offensives saw a significant number of casualties deposited back in UK by a rapidly developing MERT and Aeromed only to have issues with numbers of beds and correctly trained/experienced staff to treat them.
This resulted in military patients either ending up on inappropriate wards or in really remote hospitals all around the UK with absolutely no facilities for family, whom had to initially pay accommodation costs in places where the NHS had spare beds.
What we have in RCDM is superb with a miltary ward in a very shiney new hospital that has learnt all of the harsh lessons during a very kinetic conflict.
My point is that hypothetically on paper now that Afghan is a distant memory for many to close RCDM and all of that corporate knowledge accrued between Military and NHS staff alike.
It took us nearly 10 years to get it right with Iraq and Afghan, and my fear is that we will take the same amount of time, heart ache and cost to re-learn those lessons for the campaigns around the corner.
As with everything in the military, Selly Oak's issues came from the misguided belief that 'just enough, just in time' would work for military patients. And we cannot blame the NHS either as allegedly we the military promise to staff NHS wards with military medical specialists only to see them rapidly re-deployed in time of conflict or manning pinch points occur. This resulted in much mistrust between the NHS and the military that I believe RCDM and QE Birmingham have resolved and proven to work over the years.
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MaroonMan4
Thank you for your considered and experienced response - I too was there doing it and moaning about it.
I'm afraid that the very high level politics influence/affect normal military judgement.
I hope you and your kin are well.
Thank you for your considered and experienced response - I too was there doing it and moaning about it.
I'm afraid that the very high level politics influence/affect normal military judgement.
I hope you and your kin are well.
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Headley, fabulous place. One of the, if not THE only place I experienced in my 20 or so years that when the staff said you were #1, you really were #1. Being able to hobble back one summer's morning at 0300 from the local town and arriving soaked with sweat at 0530 made me realise it was worth its weight in gold. It's too difficult to get to though.. too expensive to maintain, too.. 'evolved'?
I always thought that somewhere like Bicester offered potential in terms of location. Not just as somewhere for rehab, but as a Defence Rehab and Resettlement centre. I don't imagine that anyone being rehab'd would mind being within a military environs (a country house - great, but a little bit dislocating maybe? No pun intended) where the surroundings, architecture, layout, ambience are all familiar. Hangers are perfectly suited for rehab and offering training courses, and the real estate offers the chance to be beasted back to fitness in safety. It would allow residents and patients somewhere to organise and stage events, and prove their worth and self worth if need be, without simply casting off thise who need our help the most. I have experience of a homeless shelter in Peterborough, I know how many current homeless and sofa surfers once had a 1250/90.
MQs would allow families to stay nearby to offer support, and offer a halfway nursery for those wanting to be eased back into independent living safely. Somewhere big and with resources already in place also offers the chance for the most vulnerable to be housed and cared for safely, it's a fine line - suffocating and 'freeing' those who we have required to be injured. The objectives (as I see them) are to serve those in a way that considers their emotional and physical needs and the needs of their loved ones, and also engenders within the injured, a sense that we rightly single them out for special treatment because they are special people and deserve something special.
I think the nation and the staff too, also need to know they are facilitating something in return, discharging a debt and being part of something special - the value of something is far more important than the price of it. In that way do we perpetuate the importance of military sacrifice, by allowing us to articulate our gratitude in a way that places these injured men and women above and beyond 'just' civvies. Done badly, that really would be a humiliating and inconsiderate kick in the teeth. Balanced against that, just as our fallen have been helped by the NHS which can be world beating, and just as our medical services have fused into the NHS and offered them so much in return, is fusion (in principle at least) automatically a bad thing?
I always thought that somewhere like Bicester offered potential in terms of location. Not just as somewhere for rehab, but as a Defence Rehab and Resettlement centre. I don't imagine that anyone being rehab'd would mind being within a military environs (a country house - great, but a little bit dislocating maybe? No pun intended) where the surroundings, architecture, layout, ambience are all familiar. Hangers are perfectly suited for rehab and offering training courses, and the real estate offers the chance to be beasted back to fitness in safety. It would allow residents and patients somewhere to organise and stage events, and prove their worth and self worth if need be, without simply casting off thise who need our help the most. I have experience of a homeless shelter in Peterborough, I know how many current homeless and sofa surfers once had a 1250/90.
MQs would allow families to stay nearby to offer support, and offer a halfway nursery for those wanting to be eased back into independent living safely. Somewhere big and with resources already in place also offers the chance for the most vulnerable to be housed and cared for safely, it's a fine line - suffocating and 'freeing' those who we have required to be injured. The objectives (as I see them) are to serve those in a way that considers their emotional and physical needs and the needs of their loved ones, and also engenders within the injured, a sense that we rightly single them out for special treatment because they are special people and deserve something special.
I think the nation and the staff too, also need to know they are facilitating something in return, discharging a debt and being part of something special - the value of something is far more important than the price of it. In that way do we perpetuate the importance of military sacrifice, by allowing us to articulate our gratitude in a way that places these injured men and women above and beyond 'just' civvies. Done badly, that really would be a humiliating and inconsiderate kick in the teeth. Balanced against that, just as our fallen have been helped by the NHS which can be world beating, and just as our medical services have fused into the NHS and offered them so much in return, is fusion (in principle at least) automatically a bad thing?
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Wanderer.
The Lutterworth one whete they do car club rallies and fireworks events is Stamford Hall with a Mike, as opposed to Stanford Hall with a November north of Loughborough.
The Lutterworth one whete they do car club rallies and fireworks events is Stamford Hall with a Mike, as opposed to Stanford Hall with a November north of Loughborough.
Finnpog - regret not - both are "Stanford" - Stanford Hall, Luxury Accommodation and Private Party Venue
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4fitter,
Fortunately no personal experience for me, but as you know we work pretty closely with the guys down the back, both during pre-deployment and on Ops so get a pretty good insight into the medical world and what is going through their minds.
And also a fair few books written by those on the ground in the early years of HERRICK passed comment on their personal lack of confidence in the pre-QE Birmingham era, not helped by the usual sensationalist headline grabbing tabloids et al (but there was no smoke without fire I believe).
And my kin are well thanks - last one through Uni so that's me home and dry (well I can kid myself!)
Fortunately no personal experience for me, but as you know we work pretty closely with the guys down the back, both during pre-deployment and on Ops so get a pretty good insight into the medical world and what is going through their minds.
And also a fair few books written by those on the ground in the early years of HERRICK passed comment on their personal lack of confidence in the pre-QE Birmingham era, not helped by the usual sensationalist headline grabbing tabloids et al (but there was no smoke without fire I believe).
And my kin are well thanks - last one through Uni so that's me home and dry (well I can kid myself!)
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I spent 4 great weeks in Headley Court during summer '64 after an accident on the South Cerney assault course. ISTR Each Wednesday evening was a run up to London to see a show or similar.
The fittest I have ever been. Happy days.
The fittest I have ever been. Happy days.
