Britain’s premier rehabilitation facility for injured military personnel, featuring cutting-edge gyms, hydrotherapy pools, prosthetics workshops, and comprehensive therapy services. The developments on the provision of ‘clinical rehabilitation’ that have taken place since 2010 originated with the 6th Duke of Westminster. In 2008/9 he was the most senior member of the UK’s reserve armed forces (as a Major General), based in the MoD, having reached that position after 40 years in the Reserve Army. In 2008, observing the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, he became very aware of how high was the price that members of the Armed Forces can pay for serving the nation in terms of life-changing injury. He wanted to do something about it.
In the late summer of 2008 he raised his concerns with the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (for whom he was working). In the course of discussions, the idea of replacing the existing Defence Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey (known as Headley Court and created in 1948) with a 21st century bespoke version arose. Whilst Headley Court was not failing people, the post-Cold War circumstances of large numbers of the armed forces being wounded on operations and the benefits of larger, purpose-built premises able to absorb emerging technologies, had appeal. The Vice Chief subsequently discussed the idea of a 21st century Headley Court with the Defence Secretary who was supportive – but went on to ask whether the Duke could at the same time ‘do something for the nation too’. It was a very prescient ‘ask’ made on the basis of reading Dame Carol Black’s 2008 Report where the huge cost of being unable to return injured people to the national workforce was revealed and, being aware of Defence medicine’s expertise in this area, the benefits of it being shared with the NHS.
Consideration of what the ‘something’ might be followed. What emerged was the concept of a new Defence Rehab Centre and the first ever NHS specialist clinical rehab centre being co-located on a new estate in the middle of England. This was outlined to the Duke who agreed to it being investigated. Meetings followed in the Vice Chief’s office involving Dame Carol Black (then the Government’s adviser at DWP), the Surgeon General and Arup. It led to the possibility of embarking on a Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) Programme which was put to, and agreed by, the Defence Secretary. This proposition was developed with the other government departments and revealed to Parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) in June 2009. That statement heralded a year-long feasibility study in 2010, funded by the Duke, to examine the concept in detail across government. The case was convincing and led to a further WMS in 2011 stating that the DNRC Programme would get underway.
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