Defence Medical Services

The Defence Medical Services (DMS) are an umbrella organisation within the Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom, which organises all medical, dental and nursing services within the British Armed Forces.

Structure

The Defence Medical Services are commanded by the Surgeon-General, currently Peter Homa, and consist of two two-star posts:

  • the Director of Medical Policy and Operational Capability, who is responsible for the core outputs of the DMS, including medical research and the development of medical strategy and policy which is then implemented across the armed forces, and
  • the Director of Healthcare Delivery and Training, which was established in December 2014, following the amalgamation of Defence Primary Healthcare and Joint Medical Command.

There are also the Defence Dental Services and the medical services of each individual service (Army Medical Services, Royal Navy Medical Service and the RAF Medical Services).[1]

Role

The DMS' 7,000 general practitioners, dentists, consultants, nurses and surgeons provide healthcare for around 258,000 personnel within the United Kingdom's Armed Forces. Hospital care is provided via Ministry of Defence Hospital Units located within National Health Service hospitals, as the Armed Forces no longer run dedicated Military hospitals. The main centre is the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.[2] There are smaller units at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

References
  1. Defence Medical Services MOD Retrieved 14 February 2010
  2. Defence Medical Services Q&A National Health Service
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