AM continues fight for PTSD sufferers

9.27.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 25th Jun 2010

North Wales AM Eleanor Burnham has again urged the Health Minister, Edwina Hart, to undertake a complete review of services available in Wales that help army veterans and other sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat AM Eleanor Burnham said:

"For months now we have been bringing this issue to the attention of the Minister. Ex-servicemen and women, emergency service workers and others who have been exposed to exceptionally catastrophic events can go on to develop PTSD. Too many are not getting the treatment they need and urgent action must be taken.

"Growing numbers of PTSD sufferers are being abandoned in Wales and the best practice being employed in countries such as the Netherlands is being disregarded.

"My enquiries in the Assembly have turned up the fact that no data is collected centrally by the Welsh Assembly Government to determine the number of mental health trauma specialists who are qualified to assist PTSD sufferers. How can the Minister make credible decisions when she isn't in possession of all the facts?

"The Minister has refused to fund the work of organisations like Pathways in Bangor because she says the NHS can provide similar treatment. If that's the case, why are there so many people still desperate for help?"