Preparing United Kingdom Defence Public Health for Security Crises

Abstract

The fast-changing European security environment requires a corresponding transformation in military medicine and public health. The implications for Defence Public Health include a requirement to support the management of mass casualties along prolonged evacuation pathways under persistent threat, as well as to prevent disease throughout the entire operational patient care cycle. This will be made all the more challenging by the potential need to conduct bulk casualty evacuation (with its associated infectious disease risk), possible disruptions to supply chains and conflict-driven antimicrobial resistance. The UK Defence Medical Services is preparing for the challenge ahead by aligning its efforts with NATO’s Action Plan to Enhance Medical Support for Collective Defence, focusing on five themes: regulatory frameworks and legislation; workforce shortages; mass casualty planning; patient evacuation; and medical logistics. Furthermore, it is seeking to integrate its efforts with the civilian National Health Service to fully play its role in whole of society resilience, as well as to rebuild medical capabilities for large-scale war fighting.