- The Armed Forces, NHS and international partners conduct UK
medical resilience exercise
- More than 100 military experts, clinicians and civil servants
test plans to treat injured Armed Forces personnel during
possible future operations
- Lessons from the war in Ukraine have been used to strengthen
UK frontline care, medical resilience and innovation
- Exercise demonstrates the Strategic Defence Review's
whole-of-society approach to national security
The Armed Forces and the NHS are taking part in a joint exercise
this week to strengthen the UK's ability to treat Armed Forces
personnel injured during conflict.
The wargame, led by Defence Medical Command, explores how the
Armed Forces, the NHS and healthcare providers would work
together to support military patients returning to the UK from a
range of future operational scenarios.
Participants assessed plans for civilian health services to treat
military patients returning to the UK after receiving life-saving
care overseas at the point of injury and after potentially
travelling vast distances.
Defence Minister said:
Keeping people safe takes more than one organisationit takes all
of us working together. This exercise brought Defence, the NHS
and our allies around the same table to put that partnership into
practice.
By testing our plans now, we are building the trusted
relationships and readiness needed to protect our country and
care for those who serve.
They also explored medical lessons from Ukraine, including
challenges for increasing hospital capacity, maintaining civilian
access to health care, large-scale rehabilitation, likely
injuries requiring treatment, and mental health care support.
The exercise is part of an ongoing UK and international programme
to ensure medical preparedness keeps pace with the changing
character of warfare.
Surgeon General Major General Phil Carter, said:
Wargames like this are a vital part planning the Operational
Patient Care Pathway, helping ensure Defence, NHS, our health
services, and our allies can manage returning casualties while
continuing to care for civilian patients. The war in Ukraine
reinforces the need to keep learning, adapting and innovating. By
regularly exercising together, we strengthen our readiness and
national resilience."
Dr Mike Prentice, National Director for NHS Resilience,
said:
The NHS has a vital role to play in the UK's preparedness for
future conflict. By working closely with the Ministry of Defence,
we are putting our plans to the test, identifying potential
challenges and strengthening the partnerships we would rely on in
a crisis.
Preparing together now means we can ensure the NHS is ready to
care for military personnel returning home, while continuing to
meet the needs of the public - whatever the circumstances.
Part of routine preparedness planning, the exercise supports the
Strategic Defence Review's emphasis on resilience, readiness and
a whole-of-society approach to national security.
Defence Medical Command is investing in life-saving innovations,
including dried blood products to more easily restore blood
supplies on the battlefield, and tranexamic acid autoinjector
pens which cause clotting to reduce blood loss at the point of
injury, as well as modern field hospital equipment and enhanced
equipment to care for casualties.
Defence Medical Command is also learning lessons from the
conflict in Ukraine including techniques to protect field
hospitals, equipment and medical personnel from attack, advanced
trauma training, stronger supply chains and the development of
new technologies such as portable ultrasound equipment and
uncrewed evacuation systems.
Lessons from the wargame will inform future planning across the
Armed Forces and civilian health services, with further exercises
scheduled in the coming months.
