Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps
-
The Defence Medical Services (DMS) primarily recruits its trained General Practitioners (GPs) from the NHS and since 1970, the number of men entering medicine has doubled whereas the number of women has increased 10-fold; female GPs will outnumber their male counterparts by 2017. This study performs a quantitative assessment of the potential impact of feminisation of UK General Practice upon the DMS recruitment and workforce planning. ⋯ The national increase of only 3% infers feminisation of UK General Practice is not an immediate challenge for the DMS. Nevertheless, as feminisation of the UK GP workforce is expected to continue, the future cohort from whom the DMS will recruit its GPs is likely to contain increasing numbers of women. With the return to contingency, the DMS may wish to consider the implications of increasing numbers of female GPs upon service delivery in the UK and overseas, and explore more flexible medical employment models.
-
Medicine has historically advanced during conflict, but military medical services have consistently regressed during peace. As over a decade of campaigning in Iraq and Afghanistan draws to a close, securing the legacy of hard won clinical lessons and retaining flexibility to adapt to new patterns of illness and injury during contingency is critical. Central to sustaining exceptional outcomes for future operations and to maintaining the current position of the Defence Medical Services as providers of clinical excellence is retaining the capability to innovate. ⋯ To achieve this requires a strategy, a 'roadmap', with a clear vision, end state and centres of gravity (core strengths that must be protected). The direction for innovation will be guided by emergent analysis of the future character of military medicine. Success will be determined by ensuring the conditions are met to protect and enhance the existing 'winning culture'.