Injured Para Ben Parkinson wins battle to stay in Army

The 27-year-old was told last month by the Medical Services Board that he would be recommended for discharge in December, meaning that his family – rather than the MoD – would have to foot the £2,000-a-week bill for his rehabilitation.

But in a dramatic U-turn, Lance Bombadier Parkinson, from Doncaster, has now been told in a letter from Veterans Minister Andrew Robathan that he can remain in service while his care is “most appropriately delivered” within the Army.

His mother and carer, Diane Dernie, said: “It’s a massive relief in the short term, as we no longer have the December deadline hanging over us.

“But we have an assessment in January and we will have to keep fighting for where the best place for his rehab to take place is.

“The NHS has said it cannot possibly take over Ben’s rehab and we’re hoping we’ll be able to carry on as we are.”

Mrs Dernie and her husband Andy are also fighting against the compensation cap on her son’s injuries.

Lance Bombadier Parkinson, who lost both legs and suffered devastating brain and back injuries in a Taliban bomb attack in 2006, has been told that told his compensation will be capped at £570,000, although his injuries mean he should be entitled to more than £1m.

He currently undergoes three sessions of speech therapy a week, as well as 15 hours of rehabilitation at a specialist centre in Leicestershire, where he is learning to walk again.

The letter from Conservative MP Mr Robathan said: “We all understand that at some point in the future Ben will leave the Army.

“However while his medical advice is that further intensive rehabilitation is required and that it is most appropriately delivered from within the Army then Ben will remain in service.”

Mrs Dernie said that, while NHS medics in Doncaster were “brilliant with Ben”, the specialist rehabilitation he needs is only available privately.

She said: “The NHS just don’t have the expertise to deal with these massive trauma injuries and we’re going to have to keep on arguing his case.

“Ben’s happy with the letter because it includes the magic phrase ‘remains in the Army’.

“He knows he’s getting better and we hope that he’ll be able to walk into his assessment meeting in January.”

Don Valley MP Caroline Flint supported Lance Bombadier Parkinson’s fight.

She said: “I am delighted Ben has won his battle to remain in the Army. The NHS has been brilliant helping him to regain speech, but the standard of specialist help to regain mobility, as a double amputee, is something only the armed forces provide.”