Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the role is of personal recovery officers related to different categories of injury of armed forces personnel who are due to receive medical discharge; how many such officers there are in each branch of the Armed Forces; and if he will make a statement.

The Naval Service employs 29 Recovery Cell/Troop (NSRC) staff who have broadly equivalent responsibilities to those of Personal Recovery Officers (PROs) and oversee the recovery of Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) personnel. NSRC staff do not differentiate between different categories of injury; all WIS are managed equitably with their recovery pathway being directed by doctors, physiotherapists, military Departments of Community Mental Health and Occupational Therapists. Not all personnel on a recovery pathway are due to receive medical discharge; 84% return to work.

A total of 67 PROs are based within 11 Personnel Recovery Units (PRUs) across the UK and Germany; PRUs are military units established for the command and care of WIS soldiers with the greatest need. All Army WIS personnel have a dedicated PRO assigned to them, to assist them through the recovery process and co-ordinate support from other agencies. If the individual remains in their unit the PRO will be someone in the unit who has been assigned by their Commanding Officer.

Soldiers are transferred to a PRU if their Chain of Command or unit recommend they need more help than the unit can provide. There are a number of reasons for this, such as the nature or severity of their injury or illness, the distance between the soldier’s home address and the unit (if the soldier is at home on recovery duty), or because the unit is due to deploy. The PRUs are not residential facilities, but are organised on a regional basis allowing soldiers to be transferred to the one closest to them.

The RAF has two full time and two part-time PROs based in the Personnel Recovery Centre at RAF High Wycombe.

RAF PROs are responsible for supporting WIS personnel through their recovery pathway and in support of their patient care whether they are returning to Service or being medically discharged. They encourage and, where necessary, direct WIS personnel to manage their own recovery pathway as much as they are able. RAF PROs become the line manager for WIS and provide mentoring, coaching and welfare support throughout their recovery. They maintain regular contact with WIS personnel for up to six months after their discharge.