Gulf War Veterans (Hansard, 15 February 1995)

§ Mrs. Currie
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action is taken to ensure that ex-service men and women who have been assessed as suffering from medical conditions following their service in the Gulf war are followed up to ensure adequate care and treatment.

§ Mr. Soames
The health care of individuals who have left the armed forces is the responsibility of the NHS. In accordance with standard medical practice, and to ensure continuity of health care, the medical reports on those ex-service personnel assessed by my Department are therefore forwarded to the patient's general practitioner. These reports contain recommendations for further care where necessary.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals have returned for a second examination under his Department's Gulf war veterans' medical assessment programme.

§ Mr. Soames
Some 14 out of the 90 patients seen to date under the Department's Gulf medical assessment programme have attended for further examinations by the service consultant co-ordinating the programme on one or more occasions.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for728W Defence how many People who have taken part in his Department's Gulf war veterans' medical assessment programme. are (a) currently in the armed forces and (b) were in the armed forces at the time of their assessment but have since left the services.

§ Mr. Soames
Some 24 out of the 90 patients seen to date were in the armed forces at the time of their assessment. Information relating to the number of individual who may have left the services since being assessed is not readily available.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which separate tests are incorporate into the examination of an individual under his Department's Gulf war veterans' medical assessment programme

§ Mr. Soames
All tests offered to individuals coming forward for assessment are tailored to the particular requirements of each patient after considering the medical and occupational history, the reported symptoms and clinical signs found on initial examination. Possible tests include: full blood assay, radiological examination —CT/MRI scan—electrocardiograph, endoscopy and psychiatric or psychometric assessment but further tests or referrals are available when required.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much each examination of an individual under his Department's Gulf war veterans' medical assessment programme costs.

§ Mr. Soames
No separate or central record of the cost of the assessments under this programme is maintained.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals have been referred to a second doctor for examination under his Department's Gulf war veterans' medical assessment programme.

§ Mr. Soames
Current records show that 48 out of the 90 individuals seen to date have been referred to another consultant following initial assessment.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected total cost of his Department's Gulf war veterans' medical assessment programme.

§ Mr. Soames
The assessments do not form a separately funded programme and their total costs would, in any case, depend upon final numbers of those coming forward, which are still uncertain.