Defence Medical Services (DMS)

DMS is a group of military medical healthcare services that cares for armed forces personnel, ensuring that they are fit to fight and can fight back to fitness.

DMS is staffed by around 11,100 service personnel (7,900 regular and 3,200 reserves) and 2,600 civilian personnel.

DMS provides:

  • primary healthcare, dental care, rehabilitation, occupational medicine, mental healthcare and specialist medical care to around 138,100 UK Regular Armed Forces personnel – from medical, dental, nursing and allied healthcare professionals from the military and civilian sectors
  • medical support to operations, training and other Defence commitments - planning and providing medical services in the UK and overseas
  • medical support to warfighting which requires mass deployment of medical capability
  • strategic relationships through global health engagement and medical intelligence gathering

DMS is part of Strategic Command.

DMS is made up of:

Defence Medical Function

The Defence Medical Function is delivered by DMS.

Its purpose is to promote, protect and restore the health of the UK Armed Forces.

The Defence Medical Function is responsible for:

  • delivering a healthcare system that provides the right, timely healthcare to Service personnel and other entitled people
  • providing deployable medical capability
  • medical integration across Defence
  • setting direction on the practice of military medicine
  • developing the science of military medicine to develop approaches and treatments
  • setting joint medical training requirements
  • setting and auditing the professional performance of all military medical personnel
  • setting clinical and medical policies and standards and auditing compliance by military organisations
  • coordinating health plans between Defence and the NHS
  • consulting with top-level budget holders
  • advising on health policy, healthcare and medical operational capability

Ownership of the Defence Medical Function

The Defence Medical Function is accountable to the 4* Defence Medical Board.

Functional Owner (3*) - Director General Defence Medical Services

Responsible for functional coherence across Defence and the delivery of the Defence Medical Functional Leadership Strategy. 

Director General Defence Medical Services Air Marshal Clare Walton CB KHP

Functional Leader (2*) - Surgeon General

Responsible for delivery and coherence of Defence medical policy and medical operational capability.

The Surgeon General is the senior technical authority for Defence medicine, including prevention, detection, treatment, and recovery from the full spectrum of illness and injury.

Head of Profession (2*) - Director Medical Personnel and Training

Works to develop and maintain healthcare and medical skills: developing and supporting career pathways, strategic workforce planning, professional leadership and standards, and promoting learning, development and talent management for the profession.

Director Defence Healthcare (2*)

Responsible for ensuring Defence personnel have access to safe, effective and efficient healthcare in the UK and established sites overseas to meet their clinical needs and the requirements of the employer.

Director of DMS Transformation (2*)

Responsible for ensuring the DMS is prepared to deliver a world class healthcare to our armed forces personnel by adopting modern technology and working practices.

Ongoing DMS programmes

  • Catterick Integrated Care Centre (CICC) - Major construction milestone for CICC
  • Programme CORTISONE
  • Healthcare Improvement Programme (HIP) – Transformation of Defence UK Primary Healthcare services
  • Medical Operational Capability Improvement Programme (MOC IP) – Improving the operational patient care pathway

Recruitment

DMS offers a wide range of career opportunities in the UK and overseas.

Armed forces personnel, civilians and contractors work side by side in a variety of clinical and administration roles.

Single Services

DMS Reserves

Defence Medical Services (Reserves)

Civil Service

The MOD employs civilians in clinical, business and technical roles.

Medical Digital Direction – A Digital Future for Defence Medical Services (video)

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