What is the Defence Recovery Capability?

The Defence Recovery Capability (DRC) is a Ministry of Defence (MOD)-led initiative – delivered with charitable partnerships – to ensure that military personnel with:

Battle injuries (i.e. wounded);
Injuries; or
Sickness (together termed WIS),

have access to the key services and resources they need to help them:

Return to duty; or
Make a smooth transition into civilian life.

Who are the Charitable Partners?

Charitable partnerships include:

Help for Heroes; and
The Royal British Legion.

How is the DRC Structured?

DRC consists of:

Royal Navy Recovery Pathway (RNRP);
Army Recovery Capability (ARC); and
RAF Recovery Capability (RRC).

What is an Individual Recovery Plan?

Each person who comes under the DRC will get a tailored Individual Recovery Plan (IRP) which enables them to focus on their outcome, either their return to duty or transition to civilian life.
It integrates all aspects of recovery including medical care, welfare, housing, education, reskilling, work placements, employment issues and opportunities.

What are Personnel Recovery Units?

If an individual’s case is particularly complex or recovery is likely to take more than 56 days, they could be transferred to a Personnel Recovery Unit (PRU).
A PRU will ensure they receive a consistent and high quality command and care provision that will deliver the right outcome for the individual and the MOD, however long that takes.
Once transferred to a PRU, personnel are allocated a Personnel Recovery Officer (PRO) who will be is their military point of contact.
The PRO will provide support throughout the period of recovery whilst in service, including regular home visits.

What are Personnel Recovery Centres?

Personnel Recovery Centres (PRCs) offer a residential capacity to those wounded, injured and sick personnel from across the armed forces undergoing recovery as well as providing facilities for day attendees; they are not hospitals, rehabilitation or physiotherapy centres.
Individuals assigned to a PRC must be self-medicating and independently mobile.
The centres are in major garrisons in the UK and Sennelager (Germany) and are able to take advantage of the full range of welfare, medical, rehabilitation, education and resettlement facilities.
PRCs are open to serving wounded, injured and sick personnel of the Armed Forces and veterans on a case by case priority basis.
The centres have been designed to:
- Create a conducive military environment where wounded, injured and sick personnel can recover.
- Facilitate and conduct recovery courses and activities in support of individual recovery plans
- offer a secure base for wounded, injured and sick personnel throughout the duration of their recovery.
- Act as a launch point for other recovery activities such as Battle Back activities, Graduated Return to Work programmes, work placements and mandatory army training tests.

Where are Personnel Recovery Centres Located?

Edinburgh: Edinburgh House, opened August 2009; it provides residential accommodation for up to 12 personnel and 15 day attendees.
Colchester: Chavasse VC House, officially opened May 2012; it provides residential accommodation for up to 29 personnel and 30 day attendees.
Tidworth: Tedworth House, opened July 2011; it provides residential accommodation for up to 54 personnel and 30 day attendees.
Catterick: Phoenix House; it provides residential accommodation for up to 50 personnel and a further 30 day attendees.
Germany: Brydon House, opened February 2012; it provides residential accommodation for up to 9 personnel and a further 15 day attendees.
Battle Back Centre (Lilleshall): The Defence Adaptive Sports and Adventurous Training Centre, opened in October 2011; it provides residential accommodation for up to 24 personnel.
In addition, the Royal Navy operate Hasler Company, based in HMS Drake at Plymouth, which is effectively a Royal Navy Personnel Recovery Centre for use by all 3 services; expansion of the facilities at HMS Drake is being supported by Help for Heroes.

What is the Recovery Career Services?

The Recovery Career Services (RCS) was launched as part of the Defence Recovery Capability in May 2013.
With significant and ongoing investment from the MOD and Charity Partners, the RCS will ensure WIS personnel are given every opportunity of competing in the civilian employment market.
The RCS is a vocational, needs-based service, offering the greatest levels of support to those who face the most significant barriers to employment given their medical condition.
The RCS is intrinsically linked with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), the MOD provider of resettlement services.
The RCS is accessed by wounded, injured and sick individuals, those supporting them in their recovery journey and our partners via the Recovery Career Services Portal.

References

FOI 2021/15661 dated 25 January 2022.

MOD (Ministry of Defence). (2016) Defence Recovery and Personnel Recovery Centres. Available from World Wide Web: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-recovery-and-personnel-recovery-centres. [Accessed: 16 July, 2022].