Forces yet to decide rehab staffing increases for major war

The Ministry of Defence has not yet decided whether to increase the number of military and civilian physiotherapists or other rehabilitation staff as it considers the medical workforce required for a large-scale conflict in Europe, Veterans and People Minister Calvin Bailey has said.

The position was set out in two written parliamentary answers to Labour MP Ruth Jones, who asked whether current rehabilitation staffing would be adequate to return injured service personnel to duty during a major European conflict and whether Defence planned to increase staffing across military and civilian rehabilitation roles.

Bailey said: “Defence is committed to ensuring our Armed Forces personnel receive the best possible treatment, care and rehabilitation so they are fit to fight and can fight back to fitness. Physiotherapy is a core component of Defence healthcare, directly supporting operational readiness, recovery from injury, and return to duty.”

The questions covered civilian physiotherapists, Regular military physiotherapists, Reserve military physiotherapists and rehabilitation support staff, as well as the ability of Defence, the Armed Forces and the NHS to cope with the rehabilitation demands that could follow a large-scale conflict.

Bailey said: “As outlined in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), it is critical the national health ecosystem—Defence, the NHS, and the private sector—has the capacity and capability to meet the Nation’s needs in peacetime and during conflict.”

The MOD did not provide a numerical assessment of how many rehabilitation personnel would be required in such a scenario, nor did it state that existing staffing levels were sufficient. Instead, Bailey said Defence Medical Command was working with the NHS while future requirements were still being considered through wider workforce planning.

He stated: “Defence Medical Command is working closely with the NHS to strengthen medical capability, including rehabilitation and recovery services. Future workforce requirements will be informed by ongoing Defence workforce planning; no decisions have been taken on specific increases to the number of civilian physiotherapists, Regular military physiotherapists, Reserve military physiotherapists, or rehabilitation support staff.”