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Our symposiums will be of interest to doctors, nurses and other health care professionals. Battlefield Injuries Management ProgrammeThe Charity work in conjuction with The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. Working with RCDM, we aim to:
We are all very aware of the current conflicts in Iraq & Afghanistan and the involvement of our military personnel in these theatres of battle. Barely a day goes by without an item in the news coming from one of these war zones. Whatever your views about the political wisdom, or otherwise, of this country’s military engagements overseas, you will almost certainly agree that the young men & women who serve in the armed forces deserve nothing other than the very best that we can offer, when it comes to treating the injuries that they sustain in battle or on active service. In the 21st century, those who are wounded in battle do receive a high standard of care in the field, during evacuation and in forward hospitals. Thereafter they are repatriated to the UK, as soon as possible. Most are taken to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which is located at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. The RCDM, a tri-service establishment with personnel from all three of the armed services does depend, to a significant degree, upon assistance provided by civilian staff at Selly Oak Hospital and its sister hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The QEH has certainly played its part in providing a service to military personnel, including the treatment of a number of battlefield casualties. Often such casualties have received adequate and definitive treatment before they return to the UK. Remaining treatment may then consist of little more than providing a base for repatriation of injured personnel, prior to their transfer on for further rehabilitation. From time to time staff become a little more involved by carrying out further procedures. Sometimes staff are called upon to offer telephone advice to non-specialist surgical teams, who are treating the injured in field hospitals abroad. Whilst many of us are aware of the general principles of management of military wounds, few hospital staff have any direct experience in this field. Practices also change and it is important that our treatment methods are kept up to date. To this end, one day symposiums will be organised in conjunction with the RCDM. These events will benefit those civilian staff who are called upon to treat military personnel who have sustained injuries in combat. A series of talks, given by military and civilian experts in their field, trace the care pathway of the patient, from the moment of injury, through to completion of their rehabilitation. We will identify, in particular, the role of the medical team in the injured person’s care and to see just where we fit into the overall patient journey. We therefore in conjunction with The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine run one day symposiums, aimed at medical staff across the country. Even for those not working closely with military units, it is important to have a basic understanding of the nature and the principles of treatment of battlefield injuries. Some, we hope, will be sufficiently inspired to consider offering their services, if only on a temporary basis, on attachment to military surgical units. For more information about BICF courses click here Or email: enquiries@bicf.org.uk Phone: 07973 860323 Fax: 01788 569996 33 Southam Road, Dunchurch, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 6NL Anthony A Kember Chief Executive & Chairman |
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Battlefield Injuries Care Foundation Ltd 33 Southam Road, Dunchurch • Rugby • Warwickshire • CV22 6NL Tel: 07973 860323 • Fax: 01788 569996 • Email: enquiries@bicf.org.uk • www.bicf.org.uk President: Lord Henry Kitchener Trustees: Surgeon Captain M J Midwinter MD FRCS, Defence Professor of Surgery Graham Flint, Consultant Neurosurgeon • Anthony A Kember, Chief Executive & Chairman |