The Wounded

The figures for wounded and injured members of the armed forces and civilian support staff are not as easily found as those for deaths in Afghanistan.  We see the figures for the brave members of our armed forces killed in action regularly in the media.  The numbers for wounded service men and women are not as freely available.

For the period  7 October 2001 to 31 December 2005:

6 UK Military Personnel were categorised as Very Seriously Injured from all causes excluding disease.

4 UK Military Personnel were categorised as Seriously Injured from all causes excluding disease.

For the period 1 January 2006 to 15 August 2009

822 UK military and civilian personnel were admitted to UK Field Hospitals and categorised as Wounded in Action, including as a result of hostile action.

113 UK personnel were categorised as Very Seriously Injured from all causes excluding disease.

134 UK personnel were categorised as Seriously Injured from all causes excluding disease.

2,469 UK personnel were aeromedicaly evacuated from Afghanistan on medical grounds, whatever the reason.

The terms used such as Very Seriously Injured (VSI) and Seriously Injured (SI)

"Very seriously ill/ Injured/wounded" or VSI is the definition we use where the illness or injury is of such severity that life or reason is imminently endangered.

"Seriously ill/Injured/Wounded" or SI is the definition we use where the patients condition is of such severity that there is cause for immediate concern, but there is no imminent danger to life or reason.

As the figures above show the rise in injured service persons is astronomical.  Our aim is to raise awareness for these sometimes forgotten service persons.  If in our fight to raise awareness we can assist in any way that’s possible these brave and selfless members of our armed forces we shall.