Headley Court
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| DMRC Headley Court | |
|---|---|
 Headley Court crest |
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| Active | 1940s – present |
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
| Branch | Defence Medical Services |
| Type | Medical, Training, Headquarters |
| Role | Defence Services Medical Rehabilitation Centre |
| Part of | Ministry of Defence |
| Near | Headley, Epsom, Surrey |
Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court (abbreviated to DMRC Headley Court, and more commonly known as Headley Court), formerly RAF Headley Court, is an 85 acre United Kingdom Ministry of Defence facility in Headley, near Epsom, Surrey, England.
It is used as a rehabilitation centre for injured members of the British Armed Forces.
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[edit] History and overview
Headley Court was an Elizabethan farm house bought by the Cunliffe family, from Tyrell's Wood, and built into an imposing mansion by Lord Cunliffe, who was Chairman of the Bank of England. During World War II, it was used as the Headquarters for the Canadian Forces in Europe, and since the war, it has been used as a Royal Air Force and Joint Services medical rehabilitation centre.[1] Headley Heath, during this war, was used as a training ground for engineers building airstrips and trench systems, then demolishing them again.
Purchased after World War Two, with money from the Royal Air Force Pilots and Crews Fund, a public collection as a tribute to the deeds of the RAF, Headley Court is now the Defence Services Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), which aims to return all those service personnel injured or seriously ill to full fitness.
During the 2002 UK Firefighter strike, two Green Goddess fire engines were based at RAF Headley Court. If called upon, the crews would have to wait for Surrey Police to escort them to a fire.
In November 2005, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited the centre. They met Major David Bradley of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, who was given a five per cent chance of survival, after coming under fire from a Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher (RPG) in Basra, southern Iraq in 2004.[2]
[edit] Facilities
There is a rehabilitation staff of around 200 from all three services Medical and Nursing branches, including Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service, providing specialist medical officers, nurses, remedial instructors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, a cognitive therapist, social workers, engineers, and administration support staff. Not only does the centre deal with patients with new physical disabilities, but it also deals with patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The rehabilitation areas of the unit consist of hydrotherapy pools, gymnasiums, and workshops for prosthetics.
If accommodated on the 28 bed[3] Peter Long Ward, there are single showers, and nursing staff on call 24 hours a day. There is internet access on the ward, as well as, a kitchen area with washing and drying facilities for clothing. A new ward is currently being built to house 30 more beds.
Headley Court is still in need of further facilities, particularly a full size swimming pool, as patients currently have to share public facilities in Leatherhead, which has led to unpleasant confrontation.[4] A charity called Help for Heroes was set up in late 2007, with a first objective of raising money to build these facilities.[5]
There is a small shop on the accommodation site that provides all the daily needs, and the DELC[clarify] offers internet access during office hours. The location of the unit is another important factor, being in a rural area surrounded by woods.
