FOREWORD BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE,
THE Rt. Hon. GEORGE ROBERTSON MP

Modern and effective medical support is a fundamental part of Britain’s military capabilities. Our Armed Forces must have the best medical support we can provide. This was an important theme of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), and in July I announced major enhancements to improve our medical capability to sustain operations overseas.

But providing the right medical support is not simply a matter of extra equipment. Since July, a great deal of work has been undertaken on the personnel and organisational problems which have bedevilled the Defence Medical Services (DMS) in recent years. This booklet explains how we intend to solve these problems. It contains a range of initiatives which together comprise a strategy for the future of the DMS.

There are no instant fixes in the medical field. Doctors and nurses cannot be created overnight. But our strategy charts the route to major improvement in the medium to long term. We shall pursue this strategy vigorously so that every member of the DMS can have confidence in the future of their organisation. We owe it to them and to every one of our Servicemen and women to put our medical services right. I am determined that we shall do so.