2nd Medical Group

Last updated

2nd Medical Group
Emblem of the 2nd Medical Brigade (United Kingdom).svg
Group Tactical Recognition Flash
Active1 August 2002 – present
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Role Medical services
Size Brigade
Part of Field Army Troops
Group HQ Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall

2nd Medical Group (2 Med Gp) is a formation of the British Army under Field Army Troops. It predominantly provides deployed hospital care via 11 Multi-Role Medical Regiments. It also provides specialist medical capabilities via three Nationally Recruited Reserve Units; 306 Hospital Support Regiment, 335 Medical Evacuation Regiment and the Medical Operational Support Unit.

Contents

History

Headquarters 2nd Medical Group, formerly known as 2nd Medical Brigade, was initially formed at Imphal Barracks, York under the title of The Medical Group on 1 April 2002, as a result of the Strategic Defence Review. [1]

In March 2020, as part of Operation Rescript, 256th (London and South East) Multi-Role Medical Regiment, then known as 256 Field Hospital, helped construct a temporary critical care hospital, named NHS Nightingale Hospital London, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. [2]

Under the Future Soldier programme announced on 25 November 2021, the formation was reduced to a Colonel's Command. Subsequently, many units were moved under direct command of the divisions. The formerly named 2 Medical Brigade became 2 Medical Group. In addition, the group transferred from 1st Division to Field Army Troops, reporting directly to Commander Field Army. The role of the group was described as follows: "The 2nd Medical Group will generate field hospitals and task-organised medical support to the deployed force. It will be significantly reinforced by Army Reserve multi-role medical regiments and specialist medical capabilities. [3]

Role

MERT recovering a casualty that had been evacuated via Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan. Medical Emergency Response Team Recovers a Casualty in Afghanistan MOD 45151884.jpg
MERT recovering a casualty that had been evacuated via Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan.

The HQ has operational command of 2 Regular Multi-Role Medical Regiments, 9 Reserve Multi-Role Medical Regiments, a Reserve medical evacuation regiment, a Reserve hospital support regiment, and the Reserve Medical Operations Support Unit, which provides small teams of pre-qualified medical staff officers to support operations and exercises. The group also provides the enhanced medical operational command and control (C2) capability lost by the Army Medical Services (AMS). [4] The group has significantly raised the quality of pre-deployment medical training, seeing it previously provide a high standard of field medical care at field hospitals in Afghanistan. [5]

The soldiers and officers of 306 Hospital Support Regiment are all fulltime NHS Consultants and Specialist Nurses, in niche areas such as women's health, paediatrics, head & neck, CT scanning, and neurosurgical, who serve as reservists in their spare time. [6] [7]

MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) evacuating a casualty in Lashkar Gar, Helmand, Afghanistan. MERT Receive Casualty at Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan MOD 45150556.jpg
MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) evacuating a casualty in Lashkar Gar, Helmand, Afghanistan.

335 Medical Evacuation Regiment are specialists in medevac or 'in transit care', moving critical care patients across land operations, providing capabilities such as Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERT), Forward Medical Evacuation Teams, Pre-Hospital Treatment Teams, Tactical Medical Evacuation Teams. It also provides ambulance crews that are trained in all NATO ambulance platforms. [7] The regiment has deployed personnel on every major offensive, peacekeeping and humanitarian operation since its formation in 2005, including Operation GRITROCK (Sierra Leone), Operation HERRICK (Afghanistan), Operation TELIC (Iraq), Operation TOSCA (Cyprus) and Operation TRENTON (South Sudan). [8] [9]

The Group Headquarters is based at Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall, North Yorkshire. The barracks had been planned to close in 2024, however Defence Procurement Minister, James Cartlidge, later announced that the barracks would be retained and receive additional investment to remain home of the 2nd Medical Group for the future. [10]

Emblem

The centre cross within the emblem represents the Red Cross, under which the majority of the AMS operates in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

The Rod and the Serpent - The centre of the emblem depicts the Rod of Aesculapius who lived in ancient Greece in the year 1256BC. Aesculapius was known in ancient Greece as the father of medicine and was raised to God status according to Greek mythology. The serpent was revered by the ancient Greeks as having healing powers and combined with the Rod of Aesculapius has been recognised as the international symbol of medicine and healing since 1200BC. [11]

List of structures

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VII Corps (United States)</span> Military unit

The VII Army Corps of the United States Army was one of the two principal corps of the United States Army Europe during the Cold War. Activated in 1918 for World War I, it was reactivated for World War II and again during the Cold War. During both World War II and the Cold War it was subordinate to the Seventh Army, or USAREUR and was headquartered at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, West Germany, from 1951 until it was redeployed to the US after significant success in the Gulf War in 1991, then inactivated in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Corps of Signals</span> Communications arm of the British Army

The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications and information systems essential to all operations. Royal Signals units provide the full telecommunications infrastructure for the Army wherever they operate in the world. The Corps has its own engineers, logistics experts and systems operators to run radio and area networks in the field. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems, providing command support to commanders and their headquarters, and conducting electronic warfare against enemy communications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team</span> Active British Army formation

16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, known simply as 16 Air Assault Brigade from 1999 – 2021, is a formation of the British Army predominantly based in Colchester, Essex. It makes up the Air Assault Task Force, a battlegroup held at high readiness, and is the only brigade in the British Army focused on operating via parachute, helicopter and air-landing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Australian Army Medical Corps</span> Administrative corps of the Australian Army

The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 through the amalgamation of medical units of the various Australian colonies and was first deployed to South Africa as a small detachment of personnel supporting the Australian Commonwealth Horse during the Second Boer War. The corps has participated in every Australian Army operation since then, including wars and peacekeeping operations. The "Royal" prefix was granted in 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Johnson</span> US Army post near Leesville, LA

Fort Johnson, formerly Fort Polk, is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, about 10 miles (15 km) east of Leesville and 30 miles (50 km) north of DeRidder in Beauregard Parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Security Force Assistance Brigade</span> British Army unit

The 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade is a brigade of the British Army which is intended to train and assist foreign forces. In 2021, under the Future Army changes, the brigade was redesignated, formerly being the 11th Infantry Brigade & HQ South East. Prior to the Army 2020 changes in 2013, the brigade was temporarily activated for deployment to Afghanistan. Originally formed in the Second Boer War, the brigade was engaged during both World Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery</span> Australian Army unit

The 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery is a close support regiment attached to the 7th Brigade at Enoggera Barracks in Queensland. The unit was formed in 1914 under the name 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade, part of 1st Division Artillery during World War I and later served in World War II and the Vietnam War. It is currently re-equipping with M777A2 lightweight towed howitzers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Regiment Royal Artillery</span> British Army artillery regiment

The 4th Regiment Royal Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Artillery in the British Army. It was formed in 1939 as 4th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, before being redesignated in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Health Battalion (Australia)</span> Battalion of the Australian Army

The 1st Health Battalion is a unit of the 2nd Health Brigade. It is headquartered at the Robertson Army Barracks in Darwin. Formally having sub-units located in Darwin, Townsville and Brisbane, the then 1st Close Health Battalion (1CHB) was raised as 1 HB and fell under the command of the reestablished 2nd Health Brigade in 2022; with the existing Sub-Units being absorbed into 4th Health Battalion (Australia), and 2nd Health Battalion (Australia), respectfully. Additionally, a Close Health Unit was founded under the command of the 3rd Health Battalion (Australia), cementing the new capabilities of Joint Health.

The Defence Medical Services (DMS) is an umbrella organisation within the Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom. It consists of the Defence Medical Services Group, part of Strategic Command, the Royal Navy Medical Service, Army Medical Services and RAF Medical Services.

1 Medical Regiment is a regiment of the British Army's Royal Army Medical Service currently based at Bhurtpore Barracks, Tidworth Camp, Wiltshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall</span> British Army location in Yorkshire

Queen Elizabeth Barracks is a British Army installation in Strensall, North Yorkshire, England. It opened in the 1880s, and since 2016, it has been under threat of closure, but was reprieved in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structure of the British Army</span> Organisation of the British Army

The page contains the current structure of the British Army. The British Army is currently being reorganised to the Future Soldier structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Medical Brigade (United States)</span> Medical brigade of the III Armored Corps, US Army

The 1st Medical Brigade is a medical brigade of the United States Army. It is located at Fort Cavazos, Texas, providing health care and medical services to the Fort Cavazos community, and continuing training in its combat support mission.

335 Medical Evacuation Regiment is a British Army medical regiment and part of 2 Medical Brigade. It is an Army Reserve unit, part of the Royal Army Medical Service, and has a unique role within the Armed Forces. The Regiment is designed to support the Evacuation Sqns of Multi-rolled Medical Regiments or Medical Regiments as tasked. Although it is administered from Queen Elizabeth Barracks in North Yorkshire, as a specialist unit the regiment recruits reservists from all over the UK.

The following is a hierarchical outline for the structure of the British Army in 1989. The most authoritative source for this type of information available is Ministry of Defence, Master Order of Battle, and United Kingdom Land Forces, HQ UKLF, UKLF ORBAT Review Action Plan, HQ UKLF, 1990.

201 (Northern) Field Hospital was a unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps within the Army Reserve of the British Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Rescript</span> British military operation to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic

Operation Rescript was the code name for the British military operation to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies between 2020 and 2022. It was described as the UK's "biggest ever homeland military operation in peacetime" by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), involving up to 23,000 personnel within a specialist task force, named the COVID Support Force (CSF). The support was given at the request of the UK government, its devolved administrations and civil authorities through the Military aid to the civil authorities (MACA) mechanism.

212 (Yorkshire) Field Hospital was a unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps within the Army Reserve of the British Army.

Future Soldier is a reform of the British Army resulting from the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy published in March 2021. The aim of the reform is to create a more lethal, agile and expeditionary force, able to fight and win wars and to operate in the grey-zone between peace and war. Future Soldier was published on 25 November 2021 and deals with the organizational changes of the British Army, with changes to personnel and equipment were set out in the Defence in a Competitive Age paper published on 22 March 2021.

References

  1. ↑ "Strategic Defence Review" (PDF). Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Coronavirus: Pictures Show Military Personnel Helping To Build NHS Nightingale". BFBS . 28 March 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Future Soldier Guide" (PDF). United Kingdom Parliamentary Publications. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "The British Army - Army Medical Services". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "Troops at the ready". Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "2nd Medical Brigade | The British Army".
  7. 1 2 "Army Reserve Units | York Queen Elizabeth Barracks".
  8. ↑ Skitt, Laura (29 July 2021). "Medical Evacuation: How Frontline Treatment Has Evolved". Forces Network. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "335 Medical Evacuation Regiment | The British Army".
  10. ↑ "Strensall Barracks saved! Army base will NOT be sold off by MoD". York Press. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  11. ↑ Wilcox, Robert A; Whitham, Emma M (15 April 2003). "The symbol of modern medicine: why one snake is more than two". Annals of Internal Medicine. 138 (8): 673–7. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-138-8-200304150-00016. PMID   12693891. S2CID   19125435 . Retrieved 15 June 2007.
  12. ↑ Mackinlay, Gordon Angus (1 July 2007). ""A Moment in Time": The British Army at a Moment in Time – 1 July 2007, A look at and from it of the Makeup of the Regular and Territorial Army" . Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  13. 1 2 Ministry, of Defence (July 2013). "Transforming the British Army an Update" (PDF). Parliamentary Publishments. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  14. ↑ "1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  15. ↑ "Force Troops Command Handbook". British Army. Upavon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom: British Army. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  16. ↑ "Future Soldier Guide" (PDF). United Kingdom Parliamentary Publications. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  17. ↑ "2 Medical Group". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.