HELP for UK service personel

[John A Silkstone]

The following is for the attention of UK service personnel only. Dr Palmer is an ex RAMC officer. Please don't call the phone numbers but get your doctor to phone.

Silky

Subject: Medical Assessment Programme

From: Dr Ian Palmer.

I welcome calls from veterans, doctors, welfare agencies and the like and am
happy to provide advice over the phone, fax or email - details below.

Yours,

Ian

Ian Palmer
Professor of Military Psychiatry
Head of Medical Assessment Programme

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The Medical Assessment Programme (MAP)

Medical Assessments for Ex-Service Personnel.

The Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) was established in July 1993 to
examine UK Gulf veterans who were concerned that their health had been
adversely affected by service in the 1990/1991 Gulf Conflict. Defence
Ministers have extended the role of the MAP in recent years to other groups
of ex-service personnel so that they too may benefit from the knowledge and
skills developed in assessing veterans with physical or mental health
concerns. Veterans who fulfil the following criteria for eligibility and
feel they would benefit from seeing a consultant with a military background
should seek a referral via their GP to the MAP.

The MAP offers a General Medical Examination for veterans of:

• The 1990/1991 Gulf War

• The current operation in Iraq (Operation TELIC)

• The current operation in Afghanistan (Operation HERRICK)

• Porton Down Studies

A Mental Health Examination for ex-service personnel with operational
service since 1982 (including veterans of the Falklands Conflict)

The MAP is located at St Thomas' Hospital, London and currently staffed by
Dr Ian Palmer a Consultant Psychiatrist, qualified General Practitioner and
Professor of Military Psychiatry with extensive military experience and
knowledge.

The purpose of the MAP is:

* To assess, and attempt to understand, the physical and psychological
difficulties experienced by ex-Service personnel presenting to the service.
* To provide advice to individuals and health professionals about the
mental and physical health of veterans in their care.
* Where possible, to provide diagnoses and management strategies for
individuals and the medical and mental health professionals involved in
their care.
* To collate anonymised statistical information as a resource for study
of this population by authorized researchers who have obtained the
appropriate ethical clearance. No information about named individuals is
given to third parties without written consent from the individuals
concerned.

Further information is available for individuals and health personnel via:

Freephone:

0800 169 5401 Medical Assessment Programme (MAP)

0800 169 4495 Veterans Policy Unit (VPU)

Email:

map@gstt.sthames.nhs.uk <mailto:map@gstt.sthames.nhs.uk>

Website:

www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/home <http://www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/home>
follow links to MAP

Referrals to the MAP?

GPs and Serving Medical Officers are encouraged to refer patients who fulfil
the eligibility criteria and who are concerned that their physical and/or
mental health may have suffered as a result of military Service. All GPs
and patients receive a copy of the assessment report.

Please refer all cases to the following address:

Head of Medical Assessment Programme

Baird Health Centre

Gassiot House

St Thomas' Hospital

Lambeth Palace Road

London SE1 7EH

Fax: 020 7202 8327

Health Guide

A revised version of the "Gulf Health: Information Guide for Health
Professionals" will be published later this year. Many of the questions
raised about the MAP are common to all groups of veterans who are eligible
to attend and the February 2005 version has been retained on the VPU website
for information purposes.

Ian Palmer

Head of Medical Assessment Programme

Sept 2007

[PanzerBob]

solthumsolthum Good Post, John..

From one who has been though it, don't wait or try and suck it up, if you think you have problems or loved ones say you might. Go see. If you suffer in silence, you only stand to ruin your live and maybe others. And screw those people who say it ain't nothing or you are being some sort of wimp. they don't have a clue, because they aren't you! They won't look after you once you've gone off the rails.


And if your mind set is well my Granddad's generation never suffered from this stuff. Well that too is BS, It was hidden, in men becoming drunks or drug addicts that destroyed their lives and families, or simply went mad. Oh it was there, as it is after any war.

It's the whole situation of war, it's not natural, it's why some of us slowly but surely became unhinged.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel, get the help.

My two cents worth, Bob Given