The Gulf (Hansard, 20 February 1991)

§ Ms. Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is being made for trained experts in psychotherapy to be co-ordinated for the effective treatment of service men and women and their families suffering from trauma, stress and long-term mental illness consequent upon the war in the Gulf.

§ Mr. Dorrell
All services personnel and their families suffering from any form of stress or mental illness as a consequence of the war in the Gulf and referred to the National Health Service will have available to them the normal range of psychiatric services available in the health service. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has provided regional health authorities with a list of doctors specially able to advise on the co-ordination of effective treatment in such cases.
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§ Ms. Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps have been taken to increase the number of trained psychologists who specialise in therapy for the treatment of trauma, stress and long-term mental illness of service men and women and their families arising from the war in the Gulf; and what he is doing to ensure that this is done on a national basis;
(2) what additional funding is being made available for training to be given to nursing staff to deal with problems of trauma, stress and mental illness in the cases of families and service men and women arising from war in the Gulf.

§ Mr. Dorrell
In general, health authorities are responsible for deciding the training their staff require to carry out the services they undertake to provide.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made for non-emergency patients whose admissions have been postponed as a result of the Gulf crisis.

§ Mr. Dorrell
There is no need for health authorities to prepare for Gulf casualties by clearing beds or postponing non-emergency admissions until significant ground operations begin. Health authorities will be responsible for making alternative arrangements for any deferred non-emergency admissions if Gulf casualties arrive for treatment in the NHS. The extra money available to meet the full costs of treating any Gulf casualties in the, NHS would alleviate inevitable pressures on health authorities and ensure as far as possible minimum disturbance to the normal NHS workload.