§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) financial and (b) material assistance his Department has provided to the Ty Gwyn clinic for traumatised service personnel at Colwyn Bay; what similar facilities exist elsewhere in the United Kingdom; and what rules govern the admissions policy of military hospitals for dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. [92736]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonMy Department does not provide financial or material assistance to the Ty Gwyn clinic, and I am not aware of any similar facilities in the United Kingdom which specialise in the treatment of traumatised Service personnel. Admission of Service personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to the Duchess of Kent's Psychiatric Hospital, Catterick, would be on the basis of clinical judgment. Former Service personnel are eligible for treatment of post traumatic stress disorder at the Duchess of Kent's Psychiatric Hospital, free of charge as NHS patients, if they live within the catchment area of the hospital. If not, the cost of treatment would need to be met by their local health authority in accordance with NHS budgetary procedures. Admission of former Service personnel would depend on spare capacity being available.