Overview
- On Wednesday Ben McBean, a double-amputee Afghan war veteran, launched a GoFundMe to pay for a bionic prosthetic arm and has raised about £21,000–£22,000 toward his target.
- McBean says he has only ever been fitted with static prosthetic arms and that, despite the NHS pledge in 2022 to broaden access to bionic limbs, he has not been offered the technology during follow-up care.
- He says a working bionic arm would change daily life for him and his family by letting him hold both young sons’ hands and perform simple tasks he cannot do with current prosthetics.
- Former service figures and politicians have reacted publicly, with ex-SAS Andy McNab calling the case a betrayal of veterans and shadow defence minister James Cartlidge urging ministers to look into McBean’s situation.
- The story highlights broader issues over cost, regional variation in prosthetic services and the fact that some veterans seek advanced limbs overseas or through private fundraising when NHS provision does not meet need.