House of Representatives Committees


| Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

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Care of ADF Personnel Wounded and Injured on Operations

Inquiry of the Defence Sub-Committee

24 June 2013

© Commonwealth of Australia 2013
ISBN 978-1-74366-046-1 (Printed version)
ISBN 978-1-74366-047-8 (HTML version)

View the report as a single document - (PDF 1173KB)


View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Preliminary Pages (PDF 180KB)

Foreword
Membership of the Committee
Membership of the Defence Sub-Committee
Committee Secretariat
Terms of reference
List of abbreviations
List of recommendations

 
Chapter 1 Service and Sacrifice (PDF 92KB)

Introduction
Context
2013 Wounded in Action incidents in Afghanistan
Injuries sustained
Issues
Aim
Definitions
Injured
Committee comment
Conduct of the Inquiry
Structure of the report

 
Chapter 2 Immediate Action (PDF 104KB)

Responsibilities
Combat first aid
Pre-deployment training
In-theatre health facilities
ADF responsibility
Public information during incidents
Notification of casualty
Public release of names
Medical evacuation
Operational health support
Committee comment

 
Chapter 3 Aeromedical Evacuation (PDF 156KB)

Australian aeromedical evacuation capability
AME direct to Australia
AME via Germany
Case management
Family support
Return to Australia from Germany
Tax implications
Committee comment

 
Chapter 4 A Badge of Honour (PDF 163KB)

Physical injuries
Rehabilitation and recovery
Garrison health care
Reservists
Defence civilians
Rehabilitation programs
ADF Rehabilitation Program
Paralympics Sports Program
Simpson Assist Program
Support for Wounded, Injured or Ill Program
Army – Support to Wounded, Injured and Ill Program
Navy SWIIP initiatives
Air Force SWIIP initiatives
Physical rehabilitation and medical treatment
Facilities
Malingering
Equipment issues
Committee comment

 
Chapter 5 Mental Health Concerns (PDF 276KB)

Mental health in the ADF
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Defence culture
Female veterans
Defence hierarchy attitude
Confidentiality
Psychological rehabilitation
Antidepressant medication
Family support
Psychological first aid
Alternate and complimentary therapies
Soldier Recovery Centres
Committee comment

 
Chapter 6 Falling Through the Cracks (PDF 233KB)

Return to work
Change of employment
Medical Employment Classification Review Board
Discharge and transition
Medically unfit for further service
Member support coordination
Health care support transition
How DVA recognises service-related injuries
Stepping Out
Defence/DVA connectivity
Connectivity perceptions
Electronic Health Records
Retention of records
Memorandum of Understanding
United Minister
Health care community awareness
Longitudinal tracking
Uncontested healthcare liability
Medicare
Committee comment

 
Chapter 7 Return from Operations (PDF 177KB)

Physical injuries
Non-reporting of injuries
Post-deployment syndromes
Psychological issues
Pre-deployment screening
Post-deployment psychological screening
Self-awareness and resilience training
Alcohol use in the ADF
Delayed onset mental health issues
Pre/Post-deployment support of families
Defence White Paper 2013
Committee comment

 
Chapter 8 Veterans Affairs (PDF 253KB)

Department of Veterans’ Affairs
DVA’s role
DVA’s service model
DVA’s client expectations
Claims process
When claims may be made
How claims may be made
Pro-active support for making claims
Veterans’ reactions to DVA services
Claims paperwork
Delays in claims
DVA attitude/onus of proof
Current claimants
Claimants’ families
Deployed civilians
DVA’s cultural transformation
Ongoing health care and support
Case management
Ex-serviceman involvement
Long term injuries and illnesses
Rehabilitation
Chronic disease management
Mental health
Compensation
Research
DVA’s readiness for the future
Committee comment

 
Chapter 9 Veterans’ Support Structures (PDF 144KB)

Support organisations
Australasian Services Care Network
Australian Centre for Post-traumatic Mental Health
Carry On (Victoria)
Centori Pty Ltd
Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health
Defence Families of Australia
Go2 Human Performance
Legacy Australia
Psychological Trauma Recovery Service
Returned and Services League of Australia
Soldier On
Toowong Private Hospital
Trauma Release Australia
Veterans’ Health Advisory Council
Vietnam Veterans’ Association of Australia
Vietnam Veterans’ Federation of Australia
Young Diggers
Gaps and overlap
On-line support
Coordination
Volunteerism
Committee comment

 
Appendix A – List of Submissions (PDF 37KB)
 
Appendix B – List of Exhibits (PDF 43KB)
 
Appendix C – Witnesses who appeared at public hearings (PDF 43KB)
 
Appendix D – ADF Personnel deployed to Afghanistan killed in action (PDF 49KB)

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