An evaluation of the burden placed on the General Internal Medicine team at the Role 3 Hospital in Camp Bastion by UK Armed Forces personnel presenting with symptoms resulting from previously identified disease

摘要

Introduction During previous deployments of the British Armed Forces, a significant proportion of aeromedical evacuations were accounted for with recurrent symptoms from a known disease that had often triggered occupational medical downgrading. Many servicemen and women had deployed inappropriately, and by doing so became a burden on the deployed medical facilities. Commanders performing systematic medical risk assessments prior to departure might have prevented these individuals from deploying. This study was designed to assess the avoidable burden from recurrent disease during the current Afghanistan operation.