(2) how many service personnel are recorded as having experienced hearing loss as a consequence of their duty in each year since 1990.
The Ministry of Defence is continually looking at ways of monitoring and mitigating the risk in operational areas, including the development of improved hearing protection which does not hamper the operational effectiveness of combat personnel.
The Surgeon General (SG) has set up a multi-disciplinary Defence Hearing Working Group (DHWG) to address the impact of current operations on the incidence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in serving personnel, set in the wider context of the Health and Safety-led MOD Hearing Conservation Programme, changing legislation and emerging technology. Compared with civilians who may suffer hearing loss due to industrial noise exposure, the relationship between troops' exposure to noise on military operations and hearing impairment is a complex one. Since January 2009, MOD has been working with the charity Deafness Research UK to develop a number of lines of research that will not only provide a more robust means of diagnosis but will also ensure that personnel have the most effective possible protection from hearing loss. Deafness Research UK hosted a highly successful symposium in December 2009, bringing together experts from the field of hearing impairment with members of the Defence Hearing Working Group.
Regarding protective systems, on the present deployment in Afghanistan, some 3,000 sets of an improved hearing protection system known as personalised interfaced hearing protection (PIHP) are in use by front-line troops. This innovative system has been designed to protect against impulse and continuous noise, to be comfortable to wear for prolonged periods, to be compatible with personal radios, not to interfere with equipment designed to counter improvised explosive devices, and to allow the user to keep situational awareness.
Data held centrally does not allow a comprehensive summary of how many Service personnel are recorded as having experienced hearing loss as a consequence of their duty in each year since 1990. The DHWG work now in progress includes improved data capture to allow the effects of current operations on the hearing of personnel to be assessed op a proper basis. However, patients who have attended or been admitted to our field hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan within the 'ear/nose/ throat' (ENT) medical classification can be identified. These data are shown in Table 1 and include UK Service personnel, other NATO forces, civilians (both UK and nationals) and detainees. Note that this information is not limited to those with complaints related to hearing damage, but includes all ENT patients.
Number All Iraq Afghanistan All 1846 1682 1164 2003 1290 1290 — 2004 102 102 — 2005 74 74 — 2006 1101 76 125 2007 120 64 56 2008 126 62 64 2009 133 114 119 1 Figures cover from March 2003 to April 2009 for Iraq and April 2006 to May 2009 for Afghanistan
The numbers of UK personnel in the last 10 years who have left the Services with a medical discharge with a principal cause given as hearing loss are shown in Table 2. Note that such discharges cannot be specifically linked to operational exposure.
Number ICD 10 Cause Group 1Naval Service Army RAF All 51 155 45 Diseases of the ear (H60-H62), H65-H75 and H80-H83) 26 65 17 of which: Noise-induced hearing loss (H833) 8 39 5 Other disorders of ear (H-90-H95) 25 90 28 1 Includes Royal Marines and Royal Navy
This table is not subdivided by year as, in accordance with Office of National Statistics guidelines, numbers less than five would be suppressed by reason of patient confidentiality, which would effectively obscure all information provided.