A DISABLED war veteran who was injured in an explosion says he has been unable to access help for post traumatic stress disorder.

Christopher Hornblower, 36, from York, served in the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment until he was medically discharged in 2004.

He was left with extensive injuries including twisted knee caps, severed tendons and a dislocated right knee as a result of an explosion while serving abroad.

More than a decade later, Mr Hornblower still suffers traumatic flashbacks, difficulties with sleep and problems related to his time in the Army.

But he said despite repeatedly trying to access psychological help from the NHS in York, he has been unable to get the specialist help he needs for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Last week he was referred from York Hospital for an urgent appointment at Bootham Park Hospital but the appointment was cancelled at the last minute and he was not been notified of another, Mr Hornblower said.

He said: "I feel alone and forgotten. It's not just in York, this is happening all over the country.

"This country seems to want to ignore people, there has got to be a better way to treat PTSD."

Mr Hornblower said he started showing symptoms of PTSD soon after the incident when he was serving abroad. Due to the Official Secrets Act he is unable to say where he was serving when the incident happened.

Following the incident he was due to undergo a routine operation involving keyhole surgery to correct his injuries but a mistake made by the surgeon left his dreams of a future career in the Army shattered, he said.

Melanie Hird, head of clinical governance for Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said “We are very sorry to hear about the difficulties experienced by Mr Hornblower in accessing services.

"We have already been in contact with Mr Hornblower and are taking his complaint very seriously. We are now investigating what went wrong on this occasion and will be in touch with Mr Hornblower again to provide a formal response. We strive to ensure that every patient receives the best possible care and treatment from our Trust and welcome any feedback which can help us improve our services.”

A Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) spokesperson, said: "The CCG is sorry to hear about Mr Hornblower experiences.

"It will work closely with Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to understand the problems that Mr Hornblower encountered and to ensure that these are thoroughly investigated.

"To ensure fulfilment of NHS England’s Referral to Treatment Access Policy in primary and secondary care, the CCG has been working with member practices and providers in recent months to confirm their compliance with the policy. The policy states that: NHS hospitals must give priority to veterans for examination or treatment for their condition(s) which relate to their service."