Defence
Royal Naval Medical Services (RNMS)
The Vision of the Royal Naval Medical Services is to excel in supporting the Operational Capability of the Royal Navy.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary exercise Medical Endevour.
The vision of the RNMS is to excel in supporting the operational capability of the Royal Navy. It is headed by the Medical Director General Naval, MDG (N), whose mission is to deliver the healthcare component of Naval operational capability. He is the head of the Naval Medical Branch, is a member of the Second Sea Lord’s Board of Management and is the medical adviser to the Admiralty Board.
The mission of the RNMS is to provide a fully manned, sufficiently trained, equipped and resourced organisation with high morale, capable of providing timely high quality medical support to the operational capability of the Royal Navy to meet the requirements of the Commanders.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship Argus
Contained within the hull of RFA Argus is a purpose built deployable hospital facility – referred to as the Primary Casualty Receiving Facility (PCRF). RFA Argus effectively provides the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and other personnel ashore with rapid access to deployed hospital based care.
The facility holds up to 100 beds; comprised of 10 intensive therapy beds, 20 high dependency beds and 70 general beds. To support this there is a comprehensive range of contemporary medical equipment and extensive consultant led clinical capabilities.
When required for medical support on operations and exercises, clinical staff from all three services, but drawn predominantly from Naval Service, who work within MDHUs, join RFA Argus to allow her to deliver the levels of medical provision required.
The hospital facility was initially fitted for the first Gulf conflict in 1991. A major rebuild of the facility took place in 2001 which has resulted in the present permanent facility. RFA Argus deployed to the Iraq war in 2003 and is held at a high state of readiness to meet future Defence commitments and regularly takes part in exercises in order to test her deployable hospital capability.
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