Medical Support

Naval Medical personnel are deployed in all arms of the Royal Navy: Surface and Submarine Flotillas, Fleet Air Arm and Royal Marines. In addition to their medical training personnel receive special to arms training to prepare them for the military role in which they are to deploy.

Within ships and Submarines medical support equates to primary care and is provided by Medical Assistants who deliver day-to-day clinical treatment and preventive medicine, often in isolation from a Medical Officer. Medical Assistants also deploy with the Royal Marines to assist the Commando Unit Medical Officers in the provision of routine medical support.  When operations dictate, additional surgical elements may supplement the clinical capabilities of the Medical Squadron of the Commando Logistic Regiment to form Commando Forward Surgical Groups. These groups are lightly equipped and mobile, enabling surgical support to be provided to Commando units close to the forward edge of the battle area.

Dental care in peacetime is achieved by deploying Dental Officers to RM units and some amphibious ships, with temporary mobile teams deployed to other ships as requested in order to maintain oral health at high levels. In conflict, such care would be enhanced with the deployment of additional mobile teams, each of which would provide support for a small group of ships.