§ Mr. FlookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of medical examination and assessment is required from those former and existing service personnel who are on the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme. [30433]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) was established in 1993. As at 17 January 2002, 3,276 patients had been seen by GVMAP physicians. The GVMAP is located at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, and is open to all present and former service men and women or MOD civilians who believe that their health has suffered as a direct result of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. Its two main purposes are
1117Wto investigate patients' medical complaints, make a diagnosis as far as is possible, and recommend appropriate management, or provide reassurance if no illness is found;to collate statistical information in an anonymised form as a resource for researchers.Patients are referred to the GVMAP by their doctors. There is no pre-determined medical criterion they need to satisfy before being seen. Patients are given a full medical examination by GVMAP physicians and a range of physical tests; investigations routinely conducted for all patients include urinalysis, haematological, biochemical, biological and serological tests, ultrasound scan of the abdomen and electrocardiography. These tests are carried out on the day of the appointment and take approximately four hours. Additional investigations and/or referrals to other consultants/specialists may be required. This is decided either during the initial appointment or in follow-up consultations if deemed necessary. Since May 2001, a small number of patients have been seen at a clinic held every two months and run by the head of the GVMAP in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Patients are given the same assessment as they would have received had they come to London.
The clinical findings from the first 1,000 service and ex-service patients seen by GVMAP physicians were published in the British Medical Journal on 30 January 1999. A paper on the clinical findings from the second 1,000 service and ex-service patients seen was published in the Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps on 29 June 2001. Copies of both papers—as too is a great deal more information of interest to Gulf veterans—are readily available from the Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit (Freephone 0800 169 4495) and on my Department's website at: www.mod.uk/issues/gulfwar/index.html. A clinical analysis of the first 3,000 service and ex-service veterans who have attended the GVMAP is being prepared for peer-review and publication in a scientific journal.
§ Mr. FlookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to put the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme into independent administration. [30434]
§ Dr. MoonieNone. Medical Assessment Programme physicians already have complete clinical independence from the Ministry of Defence.