Defence Medical Services

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The Defence Medical Services (DMS) is an umbrella organisation within the Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom. It describes the Royal Navy Medical Service, Army Medical Services and RAF Medical Services. The Defence Medical Services Group and Headquarters DMS is part of Strategic Command, although with the exception of civilian staff, the personnel contained in it are each part of their respective three Services. [1]

Contents

Structure

The Defence Medical Services are led by the Director General, currently Air Marshal Clare Walton. [2] The Director General DMS is the defence authority for end to end Defence healthcare and medical operational capability.

The Defence Medical Services Group also has three two-star directors: [3]

Role

The Defence Medical Services Group is a formation commanded by a Brigadier or equivalent of 7,000 general practitioners, dentists, consultants, nurses, surgeons, allied health professionals and medics (combat medical technicians), both uniformed and civilian personnel, to provide healthcare for the United Kingdom's Armed Forces. It consists of DPHC, the JHGs, and the Defence Medical Academy. Primary Healthcare is provided by Defence Primary Healthcare. Hospital care is primarily provided by the National Health Service. There are, however, embedded military clinicians in Joint Hospital Group units. The main centre for Role 4 hospital care is the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. [5] There are smaller units at: [6]

Specialist military medical education and training is provided by the Defence Medical Academy in Lichfield.

Headquarters DMS is located at Whittington outside Lichfield. It employs several hundred.

Deployed operational medical care is provided by the Royal Naval, Army and Royal Air Force Medical Services.

History

There have been medical personnel supporting the Armed Forces since the creation of the Armed Forces: ships of the Royal Navy have carried surgeons for centuries; regiments of the British Army have employed surgeons to look after the health of soldiers and to take care of the wounded since their creation.

Units in the British Army are supported by General Practitioners employed as Regimental Medical Officers and a team of Nurses and Combat Medical Technicians. Specialist Medical Regiments provide dental, physiotherapy and mental health support. Royal Air Force Stations have been supported Station Medical Officers and their primary care teams.

The majority of Army Medical Service personnel operate exclusively within the Army, as do all RN Medics when at sea.

From March 2020, the DMS began supporting the UK's COVID-19 relief efforts following the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. As part of Operation Rescript, the DMS collectively contributed over half of its 6,500 personnel to support NHS hospitals and Trusts – the largest contribution to the operation from any other part of the MOD. [7] The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine assisted with the construction of NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham, a temporary critical care hospital, in April 2020. [8]

List of Directors General since 2019

RankNamePost-nominalsYears in office
Peter Homa CBE 2019–2023 [9]
Air Marshal Clare Walton CB, KHP2023–present [10]

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/Is+Defences+Latest+Operating+Model+Fit+for+Purpose+25112020112500#:~:text=In%20every%20version%20of%20the,to%20perform%20their%20role%20effectively.
  2. ↑ "Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 24 October". Civil Service World. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "How Defence Works" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.u. UK Ministry of Defence. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020. page 32
  4. ↑ "Defence Medical Service". MOD . Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. ↑ Defence Medical Services Q&A National Health Service
  6. ↑ "Ministry of Defence | MicroSite | DMS". Mod.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "Defence contribution to the UK's pandemic response". UK Parliament. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "New NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham Opens". 16 April 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "Dr Peter Homa CBE DBA". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  10. ↑ "Air Marshal Clare Walton CB KHP". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
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