486 Naval Service personnel were medically discharged, equating to 15 per 1,000 personnel. This is not a significant change from 2016/17 when the rate was 14 per 1,000 personnel.
Data released by the government shows that between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018 there was a total of 2,451 medical discharges across the armed forces. Which equates approximately to 7 UK Regular Armed Forces personnel medically discharged each day during 2017/18.
486 Naval Service personnel were medically discharged, equating to 15 per 1,000 personnel. This is not a significant change from 2016/17 when the rate was 14 per 1,000 personnel.
1,769 Army personnel were medically discharged, equating to 21 per 1,000 personnel. This is a significant decrease compared to 2016/17 when the rate was 22 per 1,000 personnel.
196 RAF personnel were medically discharged, equating to 6 per 1,000 personnel. This is a significant increase since 2016 when the rate was 4 per 1,000 personnel.
For all three services the main causes of medical discharge were Musculoskeletal Disorders and Mental and Behavioural Disorders. This was in line with findings from previous years. There was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of medical discharges due to Mental and Behavioural Disorders among Naval Service and Army personnel.
Musculoskeletal Disorders and Injuries were responsible for 56% of Naval Service medical discharges, 57% of Army medical discharges and 46% of RAF medical discharges.
Mental and Behavioural Disorders were responsible for 18% of Naval Service medical discharges, 26% or Army medical discharges and 36% of RAF medical discharges.
In the Naval Service, Females, Other Ranks and Royal Marines are at a significantly higher risk of medical discharge.
75 females were medically discharged, a rate of 24.8 per 1,000 personnel compared to 411 males at a rate of 14 per 1,000 personnel.
170 Royal Marines were medically discharged, giving them a rate of 23.7 per 1,000 personnel, nearly double the rate (12.5) of Royal Navy personnel medically discharged (316).
In the Army, Personnel aged under 25, Other Ranks and Untrained personnel are at a significantly higher risk of being medically discharged.
453 untrained Army personnel were medically discharged giving them a rate of 57.3 per 1,000 personnel compared to their trained colleagues who had a rate of 17 per 1,000 personnel.
In the RAF, Females and Other Ranks are at a significantly higher risk of medical discharge.
59 females were medically discharged, a rate of 12.7 per 1,000 personnel compared to 137 males at a rate of 3.2 per 1,000 personnel.
