https://cyberandspecialistoperationscommand.blog.gov.uk/the-defence-medical-services/

The Defence Medical Services

One Defence: Innovation and Integration through a lens of the Operational Patient Care Pathway (OPCP)

The Defence Medical Services (DMS) Stand provides a focal point for engagement and interaction with military medical innovations. It provides a platform for engagement with audiences and is located in Zone N2 or the medical zone. The stand has been designed to take visitors along a virtual Operational Patient Care Pathway. Exhibits showcase innovations in care delivery across from each of the Military Commands Medical Services' as well as how they integrate with partners across government and commercial providers to develop battle winning capabilities.

Alongside a programme of presentations, the stand showcases both new ‘in service’ capabilities as well as some that are currently still being developed or procured. Staffed by experts in their field, the DMS stand provides a focal point to understand how the DMS works with UK Defence and Health Industry to develop novel solutions to advance Defence’s mission effectiveness, morale, and performance to sustain a healthy and resilient workforce.

Defence Public Health Unit (DPHU)

The Military Infectious Diseases Active Surveillance Tool (M.I.D.A.S) accesses military digital primary health care record data for over 1,000 infectious disease codes and their symptoms. Uniquely amongst NATO disease surveillance capabilities, the data can be accessed in near real time, is drawn from anywhere in the global firm base or deployed locations where the DMS is operating and includes patient identifiers.  

Linking the event, person place and time, all in near real time, enables the Defence Public Health Unit to detect and respond to infectious diseases faster, improving the effectiveness of force health protection measures.

The addition of statistical techniques allows M.I.D.A.S to analyse symptom trends, pinpointing locations where infectious disease outbreaks may be occurring and providing the Chain of Command with an early indication of force health protection threats.  

Access to historical data on over 300,000 infectious disease events, provides MOD with a powerful source of data and drives organisational learning and further innovation.

Army

The Army will demonstrate the UK Tactical Combat Casualty Care Patient Care Pathway from Point of Wounding to Surgical Care, demonstrating the innovations in enhanced field care and Medical Communication and Information systems which offer higher levels of PHEC at every level to ensure more lives are saved and information is used to enable activity and optimise healthcare outcomes.

Royal Navy (RN)

Originally designed for use in a Type 26 mission bay, the conceptual Modular Medical Persistent Operational Deployment System (MMMPS) offers an adaptable, portable medical capability that can be reconfigured to provide the desired medical output. A series of the systems in different configurations can be aggregated to form a larger Role Two (Hospital) with tailored capability and capacity.

For DSEI 25, the MMMPS has been configured with medical modules and workforce to provide an Resuscitation Bay (Resus) capability which would be the conceptual front door to a larger maritime  medical complex. As expected of any Emergency Department, the capability will afford all casualties the level of care expected in the maritime or land deployed setting, all of which is underpinned by the MMMPS ability to either plug into the ship or a support POD for power, water, sterilisation and or oxygen supply. Resupply of the medical consumables and the ability for onwards transfer of patient, as in all deployable settings, remain the main limiting factor of the capability.

Dried Plasma

The Dried Plasma project is a collaboration between the Army, NHS Blood and Transplant, and a commercial company – Velico Medical. The project aims to use Velico’s spray drying technology to deliver life-saving blood transfusion on the battlefield, within 30 minutes of injury. This advancement allows easy transportation of dried plasma at room temperature in plastic blood bags within a soldier’s backpack. Upon addition of sterile water, the plasma can be transfused in the field before injured soldiers arrive at hospital.

Project MORRIGHAN

Project MORRIGHAN has developed four universal carriage system prototypes for forward re-supply and rearward recovery of logistic, medical and equipment support materiel. They are platform agnostic for integration with various Uncrewed Systems (UxS). The project aims to reduce time, resource and risk to personnel during resupply and recovery tasks. It will also risk mitigate the use of UxS for casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) in-extremis.

Royal Air Force (RAF)

The Royal Air Force provides a national capability, enabling the safe transport of patients, both military and civilian, from anywhere in the world back to the UK through Aeromedical Evacuation. This includes the specialised capability to evacuate patients with High Consequence Infectious Diseases. At DSEI, the RAF will showcase innovative VR training tools, compact tactical isolation units, and offer visitors the opportunity to speak directly with aeromedical evacuation experts.

Cylinderless Modular Oxygen Supply System (CMOSS)

Pre-hospital oxygen administration is a standard of care in civilian practice for severely injured patients with reduced arterial oxygenation, because it improves survival and reduces disability. Oxygen is normally supplied using pressurised cylinders, and usually cannot be delivered early to battlefield casualties because of logistical (weight/resupply) and safety issues in a ballistic environment.

Defence Medical Services/Dstl have developed a lightweight modular system based on commercial off-the-shelf medical components that can deliver forward oxygen without needing pressurised cylinders. The system weighs approximately 5kg, runs on battery power for up to 4h, and delivers either 30 or 80% inspired oxygen to either spontaneously breathing or ventilated casualties as required.

Centre for Defence Engagement (CDE)

Defence Engagement(Health) (DE(H)) is the use of military medical capabilities to achieve Defence Engagement (DE) effects via the Healthcare Sector.  Non-contentious, delivering a compelling yet anodyne narrative,  DMS personnel are powerful agents for defence diplomacy, consistently delivering low cost but high impact engagements. The healthcare sector is a uniquely permissive environment for Defence Engagement; our uniformed healthcare workers are part of an enormous global community with shared culture and values where DE activity can quickly and safely gain traction.

DMS CDE will share the “Medical Defence Engagement Spectrum” and case studies of successful capability building, expertise sharing and valuable partnership activities to demonstrate where DE(H) can provide the point of difference for the Integrated Global Defence Network (IGDN).  Team members from DMS CDE will be available to share our case studies and discuss healthcare Defence Engagement.

RENOVATOR

Project RENOVATOR is a NATO initiative aimed at enhancing rehabilitation capabilities and capacity in Ukraine. As the executive agency for this endeavour, the United Kingdom is at the forefront of a comprehensive effort to support Ukrainian defenders.

Project RENOVATOR encompasses a wide range of activities, including infrastructure development, training, education, logistics, and the provision of rehabilitation services such as reconstructive surgery, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. The primary focus is on facilitating the return of Ukrainian defenders to both duty and society.

Responding to Ukrainian requests, Project RENOVATOR will facilitate rehabilitation activity at strategically located sites across the country, ensuring sustained services for years to come. This initiative is made possible through the NATO Capability Assistance Program, which has received generous financial support from nations worldwide.  Norway, Lithuania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have taken on active roles overseeing support at specific locations, underscoring the international solidarity behind this crucial effort.  This project symbolises a collective commitment to supporting Ukraine and her Defenders, reflecting the values of cooperation and solidarity that define the NATO alliance.

Briefs and Panels

  • Major General Phil Carter will deliver a breakfast briefing on Thursday 11 September at 1000 within the Cyber & Specialist Operations Command theatre. This will cover “Integrated casualty care – modernising the end-to-end care pathway”
  • Rear Admiral Fleur Marshall is part of a NextGen expert panel on Friday 12 September at 1030 within the Cyber & Specialist Operations Command theatre. The panel is discussing “The defence workforce – the critical talent and skills needs across the sector”