The Ship’s Doctor in the Royal Navy - 100 years of tradition and progress

Abstract

The changing role of the Senior Service over the past century through numerous militarily heterogeneous environments and operations has necessitated an evolution in the role of the deployed Medical Officer. However: versatility, specialist knowledge, caring for a wide and varied patient population of friendly and enemy forces, and the dual role of being an officer as well as a doctor, have remained consistent. Identifiable changes in military medical officer training, the shape of the Defence Medical Services, and modern advances in treatment and communication have evolved the Ship's Doctor role from the pre-Second World War setting of a contracted Naval Medical Service, through growth, to a shrinking cadre again in a return to the contingency operations of today. Still, the role today remains attractive to a subset of doctors looking for something more from their medical practice; as the nature of conflict changes, so too will the role of the Ship's Doctor. The ongoing requirement for flexibility and versatility will remain. Medical Officers will continue to meet the need to provide high quality care to their patients and, as has always been the case, will continue to be drawn to the Service's principal appeal of an exciting world-wide role with the potential for unique experiences.