§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning post-traumatic stress disorder; what research has been conducted into it by his Department; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. SoamesMy Department's response to post-traumatic stress disorder has three elements: prevention, recognition and treatment. Prevention and recognition of PTSD are combined command and medical responsibilities involving general education, pre-deployment psychiatric briefing, in-theatre education and counselling and post-deployment debriefing. The treatment of PTSD is undertaken by service psychiatric staff using internationally established and clinically recognised techniques.
Research within my Department into the disorder continues and a wide variety of PTSD-related articles written by members of the armed forces medical services have been published in professional journals. The progress of the large volume of outside research is also carefully monitored.