«Breaking News» Britain’s ‘most wounded’ soldier will be discharged after MoD and NHS agree £7m care package

The most wounded British soldier from the Afghanistan war has finally recovered sufficiently to leave the Army, his campaigning mother has revealed to friends.

Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, 34, was expected to die from his injuries after being blown up by a Taliban anti-tank mine in Helmand province in 2006.

But he battled back from brain damage, internal blast wounds and the loss of both his legs.

Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, 34, was expected to die from his injuries after being blown up by a Taliban anti-tank mine in Helmand province in 2006

However, as Para-trained Ben’s miracle recovery continued, so his medical needs became more complex and expensive. This led to him staying in the Army so the Ministry of Defence could be held accountable for ensuring he received the appropriate care.

Now a landmark £7 million deal between defence and medical chiefs has paved the way for Ben to leave the Army. The MoD and NHS England finally agreed a care package after two-and-a-half years of negotiations.

The length of time it has taken to secure long-term funding for her son drove his mother Diane Dernie to despair. She even threatened to sue the MoD last year in a bid to break the deadlock.

The Mail on Sunday has also previously revealed how Diane, from Doncaster, was forced to protest after defence chiefs cut Ben’s pay and took 15 months to provide him with a specialist wheelchair.

Our exposé led to Diane receiving a personal apology from Defence Minister Earl Howe.

A landmark £7 million deal between defence and medical chiefs has paved the way for Ben to leave the Army. The MoD and NHS England finally agreed a care package after two-and-a-half years of negotiations

Ben's mother, Diane, 61, was driven to despair over the length of time it took to secure funding

Now Diane, 61, has happily told friends: ‘It has been a nine-year fight and it has gone to the wire but we finally got an agreement today and Ben leaves the Army at the end of the month. Who will I argue with now? Position available.’ Diane also paid tribute to the military charity Pilgrim Bandits which has taken Ben on expeditions around the world which have raised millions of pounds for other wounded veterans.

She added: ‘We were never alone in this fight, the charity [Pilgrim Bandits] has supported Ben and us in every way possible.’ Under a landmark 2007 arrangement introduced by former head of the British Army, General the Lord Dannatt, severely wounded troops were allowed to remain in uniform in spite of their injuries even though there was no realistic prospect of them performing military duties again.

In return, Ben represented the Army at thousands of public functions and took on a huge burden of charity commitments.

Diane said: 'It has been a nine-year fight and it has gone to the wire but we finally got an agreement today and Ben leaves the Army at the end of the month. Who will I argue with now? Position available'

Only the actions of Ben's quick-thinking comrades in 7 Para kept father-of-one Ben alive on the horrific day in September 2006 when his British Army jeep was blown up while fighting the Taliban

Ben's legs had to be amputated and he sustained grievous damage to his spine, skull and pelvis, cracked all of his ribs and punctured his lungs and spleen

Ben was serving with 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery when he was severely injured in a roadside blast in the Taliban stronghold of Sangin.

Only the actions of his quick-thinking comrades in 7 Para kept father-of-one Ben alive on the horrific day in September 2006 when his British Army jeep was blown up while fighting the Taliban.

But his legs had to be amputated. His blood loss was staunched and, after his condition was stabilised, he was flown back to intensive care in Britain within two days.

He had sustained grievous damage to his spine, skull and pelvis while his lungs and spleen were also punctured. Ben also cracked all his ribs. Shockingly, Ben spent nearly six months stuck in a geriatric NHS ward full of old women and caught the MRSA virus.

Initially, he was awarded just £152,000 compensation by the MoD under its statutory compensation scheme for service personnel injured in combat. Following a media campaign, this figure was increased to £570,000, which Diane used to buy a bungalow for him and fit out with specialist equipment. 

Link hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/17/britains-most-wounded-soldier-will-be-discharged-after-mod-and-nhs-agree-7m-care-package/
Main photo article The most wounded British soldier from the Afghanistan war has finally recovered sufficiently to leave the Army, his campaigning mother has revealed to friends.
Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, 34, was expected to die from his injuries after being blown up by a Taliban anti-tank mine in Helmand...

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Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca





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