One in ten troops unfit for frontline

Britain's armed forces are facing a fitness crisis with more than one in 10 soldiers unfit to fight on the frontline, official figures show today.

A government drive to spend millions of pounds on private healthcare for troops has failed to make an impact, with fitness getting worse since its launch two years ago.

The Army is worst hit with 10,000 personnel graded less than fully fit - almost 11 per cent of the total strength. Most are barred from frontline roles.

Nearly 4,000 in the RAF are on restricted duties and 3,000 Navy personnel are also affected - including hundreds suffering from sea sickness.

Across the armed forces, 17,394 personnel are medically downgraded from a total strength of 188,000.

Ministers have spent £5million in two years with Bupa, Nuffield and other private providers to short-cut long waiting lists at military hospitals. Yet even after providing private treatment for 3,500 personnel, the number confined to backroom roles has continued to rise.

The latest figures were obtained from the Ministry of Defence and released today by the Liberal Democrats. Their defence spokesman Paul Keetch said: "Medical downgrading is reaching crisis levels. Our forces are under enough pressure as it is. The MoD's medical policies are clearly failing our armed forces."

The Defence Medical Services have faced acute staff shortages, and were condemned in a government review this year for a "continuing inability" to meet key performance targets.

Only one in three servicemen referred as an outpatient is seen within four weeks. At the end of last year more than 2,000 were waiting for treatment.

Some blame the trend on the growth in the number of women serving in the armed forces. Women are more likely to be medically downgraded, even after pregnant women, who are automatically barred from the frontline, are excluded from the figures.

Downgraded personnel are put into categories depending on their complaint. Many are still able to serve abroad so long as they do not fight. Some problems are permanent, others as trivial as a twisted ankle.

In 2000, when the alert was first sounded over forces fitness, there were 15,450 medically downgraded personnel across the Army, Navy and RAF. Since then the total has risen by 13 per cent.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is also grappling with equipment problems, overspends on key purchases, and the need to commit British troops to troublespots around the world.

Mr Keetch, who obtained the information with a series of Parliamentary questions, said the Defence Medical Services had been reduced to a "shadow service" by a decade of cuts.

He said: "With sub-standard medical care, guns that don't fire properly, boots that melt in the heat, and long operational tours without enough home leave, is it any wonder that the armed forces are struggling to recruit and retain people in the ranks?"