Defence Medical Services: A Strategy for the Future

Changes in the structure of the DMS

Organisational Improvements

Organisation matters. The organisational structure of the DMS left over from previous reviews has not been well suited to deal with the challenges of recent years. Management and budgetary arrangements are fragmented, which is partly why it has been so difficult to produce an overall strategy for the DMS and to manage personnel in the most effective way. We are therefore introducing important organisational changes including:

• A new high level Medical Management Board, chaired by the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, to provide strategic oversight and to ensure that DMS issues are represented at the right level in the MOD
• A stronger role for the single Service Medical Directors General, with greater budgetary authority. This will give them the power to manage effectively and ensure that personnel working in the primary care sector are properly represented
• The Medical Directors General will report to the Surgeon General, giving him for the first time an oversight of all the Defence Medical Services. This will make his Management Board a much more effective body and an authoritative voice for the DMS within the MOD
• The Surgeon General will appoint a new two star Chief of Staff in early 1999, who will play a vital role in co-ordinating planning, personnel management, training, finance and the implementation of change
• There will be new Directors of Training and of Personnel, both at one star level and both working for the new Chief of Staff, thus bringing training and personnel together under one head
• The Director of Training will also be the Chief Executive of the Defence Medical Training Organisation, allowing the Chief Executive of the Defence Secondary Care Agency to concentrate full time on that role
• The Defence Dental Agency and the Medical Supplies Agency are both working satisfactorily, and no changes are proposed for them.

The New Structure of the DMS

The diagram below illustrates the new structure of the DMS that will emerge over the next 16 months. It is a better tri-Service structure built on stronger single-Service foundations.

These are important changes which we believe will significantly improve management of the DMS. Their impact will be looked at during the full review of all four medical agencies, which will be undertaken at the normal five year review point, in early 2001.