Annex B
MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES ON OPERATIONS
1. The DMS plans to provide a seamless continuum
of medical support encompassing preventative medicine, evacuation,
primary, secondary and tertiary care. For UK personnel on deployed
operations this is delivered via three echelons of medical treatment
facility: Role 1, which is integral to the Force elements and
provides primary health care and the initial management of combat
casualties which might involve initial resuscitation and preparation
for evacuation; Role 2 which will deliver reception and triage
of casualties, damage control surgery when required and the care
necessary to ensure survival to hospital; and deployed Field Hospitals
(Role 2 (Enhanced) and Role 3) providing, among other things,
emergency medical care, diagnostic support, primary surgery and
hospitalisation.
UK Medical Group (Med GP) OP Telic
2. In Iraq, facilities include the Battle
Group Role 1 facilities, as well as two fixed Role 1 facilities
supporting personnel in Basrah Palace and Contingent Operating
Base (COB) and a Role 2 (Enhanced) deployed Field Hospital at
the COB in Basrah. In addition to the Hospital Squadron, the UK
Med Gp also includes elements of a Medical Regiment providing
close medical and evacuation support to operations. RAF personnel
provide Forward, Tactical and Strategic aeromedical evacuation.
In Feb 2007 the Defence Medical Service were deploying some 372
staff in Iraq
UK Med GP OP Herrick
3. In Afghanistan the UK has: ten Role 1
facilities supporting fixed locations the Manoeuvre Operation
Groups (MOG) and the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLT);
and a Role 2 (Enhanced) Field Hospital at Camp BASTION in Helmand
Province. Evacuation of casualties is supported by Medical Emergency
Response Teams and RAF personnel delivering Forward, Tactical
and Strategic Aeromed, including a theatre specific Critical Care
Air Support Team and an Air Staging Unit. The Multi-National Headquarters
of the ISAF Regional Command (South) in Kandahar (currently UK
lead) maintains a Multi-National Role 3 Field Hospital, which
provides hospital care for coalition personnel. In Feb 2007 the
Defence Medical Service were deploying some 247 staff to support
the operation in Afghanistan.
Collaboration
4. UK medical support continues to be augmented
by coalition partners under a process of burden sharing utilising
bilateral, trilateral and multi-national agreements. In both Iraq
and Afghanistan, collaboration occurs in several ways: mutual
use of treatment facilities, embedded staff and liaison officers,
Multi-National Field Hospitals and sharing of evacuation assets
to transfer patients from theatre. At Kandahar, the Field Hospital
is currently led by the Canadians with the UK, Dutch and Danish
in support. In Kabul, UK personnel have access to either the Czech
or Greek Role 2 facility. A Czech surgical team was embedded in
the UK Field Hospital in Iraq for two years. In Iraq and Afghanistan,
UK personnel also use United States' facilities. The United States
can also evacuate UK casualties to Ramstein in Germany, should
it be required. However UK strategic aeromedical evacuation and
the UK aeromedical Critical Care capability have proved reliable,
resilient and responsive.
Defence Medical Welfare Service
5. The Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS)
has provided hospital based welfare support to Service patients
at home and overseas since 1943.[9]
It is currently based in the MDHUs, RCDM, Germany and Cyprus and
is deployed on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its prime purpose
is to address the welfare needs of patients admitted to hospital
and to refer on to appropriate agencies those who will need prolonged
welfare support.
9 The MoD's current contract with the DMWS was awarded
in 2001. Back
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