There is also the physical health toll on victims. It has been known for some time that stress adversely affects general health and a recent study led by Dr Andrea Danese has pointed to raised levels of inflammatory markers in the blood of trauma survivors. Such high levels of inflammatory markers increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and some studies suggest even cancer. The moral imperative to treat trauma effectively is paramount. Yet perhaps if I phrase it in financial terms the health care providers might grasp this better (after all its money not morals that govern such decisions – hence the words “service user” and “client” at all times reminding us of the “consumer” capitalist experience the NHS has become). To them I would say that by scrimping on trauma funding and education they WASTE not save money. Not dealing with trauma effectively results in more psychiatric impatient stays, more costly psychiatric medication, more cost to the state in incapacity benefits and even more cost to the NHS in terms of physical health complaints. This situation is the real “Madness”!
