§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2002,Official Report, column 181W, if he will list the medical categories used by the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF; and if he will make a statement. [56170]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 15 May 2002]: The medical condition of personnel in the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force is assessed on the basis of a common set of medical categories which range from P2 to P8. A holding category of P0 may also be used for individuals who are in hospital or on hospital sick leave. From this medical grading category each service applies a system of employment categorisation related to its particular operational environment to ensure that individuals are not employed on duties for which they are medically unfit. In all three tables, category refers to their medical category and PES/MES refers to their employment category.
Royal Navy
The main concern of the Royal Navy is to ensure that individuals are fit to deploy to sea. The following table summarises the system used:
733WCategories suffixed "R" are temporary categories. Categories suffixed "P" are permanent categories.
Personnel designated "P8" will remain on naval strength for a variable period of time following boarding depending on entitlement to leave etc.
Category P grade PES Definition P2 FE (Forward everywhere) Employable in full combatant duties (in any area) in any part of the world. P3 LE (Lines of Communication everywhere) Normally employed in the line of communication in or behind A2.echelon or base in any part of the world, but may be employed in a combat zone in any role which is not primarily a fighting one. (Clearance is required from a medical officer prior to deployment to an operational area) P3 RE(PP) Pregnant personnel. P7 CPND—(Geo) (Caveated Posting Non-Deployable) An individual who is graded P7 and does not meet the criteria for PES LE may be posted to areas in addition to those listed against HO by the APC, having taken advice from the Army Occupational Health Physician APC, to a unit in a specified geographical area but may not deploy from that geographical area without clearance from the Army Occupational Health Physician APC. On unit moves the CO is to obtain clearance from the APC before the individual changes location. P7 HO (Home Only) Employable in UK, Germany or Belgium or, Gurkha personnel, employable in Nepal, provided adequate and suitable medical facilities are available to treat the condition for which they have been downgraded. P7 HO (UK) Employable in the United Kingdom only. P7 HONNI Employable in UK, Germany or Belgium but not in Northern Ireland. Not applicable to R Irish (HS) personnel. P7 HO(UK)NNI Employable in UK only but not in Northern Ireland. Not applicable to R Irish (HS) personnel. P8 None Unit for military duties. Royal Air Force
Although the primary role of the RAF is flying, most of its personnel are employed on non-flying duties. To indicate the duties on which an individual may be employed both in the air and on the ground, and the
Fitness for duty in the air Category P grade MES Definition P2 A1 Fit for full flying duties of their branch/trade, or restricted employability only because of anthropometric limitations. P2 A2 Fit for full flying duties of their branch/trade but awarded to aircrew who would be A1 but for: A refractive error. A hearing standard reduced to H2. P2 or below A3 Fit for limited flying duties (limitations to be stated). P2 or below A4 Fit to fly as a passenger in a normal passenger carrying aircraft or as a patient on an aeromedical evacuation flight P3 or below A5 Unfit to be taken in to the air. P8 A5 Unfit for service.
Fitness for duty on the ground Category P grade MES Definition P2 G1 Fit for full ground duties of their branch/trade, including all general service duties and meets the minimum profile for their branch/trade. P2 G2 Fit for full ground duties of their branch/trade, including all general service duties but: Requires a medical marker. Does not meet minimum profile in their branch/trade. Has a limitation to non-essential duty. P3 or below G3 Fit for full ground duties of their branch/trade but fit for limited essential general service duties only. Generally P7 G4 Fit for limited ground duties within their branch/trade. P8 G5 Unfit for service.
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Fitness to service in specific zones Category MES Definition P2 Z1 Fit to serve anywhere in the world with no climatic restriction P3 Z2 Fit to serve anywhere in the world except in environments of low temperature. Army
In areas of active operation, the combat zone is referred to as the forward area (F). Between the forward area and the base area are the lines of communication (L). PES is PULHHEEMS employment standard.
climates in which they are fit to service, each individual is assigned a medical employment standard (MES). The MES is indicated by the letters A, G and Z, relating to duties in the air, on the ground and in various geographical locations and climatic zones.
Fitness to service in specific zones Category MES Definition P3 Z3 Fit to serve anywhere in the world except in environments of high temperature P3 Z4 Fit to serve in temperate climates only. P7 Z5 Fit to serve in UK only