A new exhibition has just been opened at the RAF Museum, Hendon. Unveiled by Air Commodore Daborn, Head of RAF Medical Services, it captures contributions from across all ranks, giving a voice to those who have had a unique perspective on military operations.
"Over the past 20-years there hasn’t been a day without conflict in some region or other and the RAF Medical Services have repatriated a staggering 66,000 service men, women and entitled personnel from all over the world over that period. Alongside aeromedical evacuation, the RAF Medical Services have also deployed primary and secondary care staff, working alone and jointly, and consisting of both regular and reserve forces.
There is no deployment, and no battle undertaken without the critically enabling capability provided by the RAF’s aeromedical evacuation service. This activity is undertaken from the point of wounding, as far forward as it gets - providing life-saving care, professionally and rapidly escorting patients back to the next level of care.
Alongside conflict, RAF Medical Services has supported the nation in the fight against natural threats, and humanitarian disasters, including earthquake relief, Ebola and clearly more recently from COVID-19. We have responded both domestically and deployed: we repatriated the earliest victims from cruise ships; we have worked hand in glove with the NHS within secondary care, training NHS staff in Infection Prevention and Control techniques to keep them safe; we have deployed our staff to the areas of greatest national need including care homes; we have helped to design COVID overflow hospitals in both England and Wales and throughout we have contributed to all Military Aid to the Civil Authority tasks which have been asked of us. All this while also supporting the Kabul Air Lift and the patriation of 15,000 Afghanistan personnel in need – the largest airlift since Berlin back in 1948-1949."
Air Commodore Daborn
Senior Aircraftwoman Yates was on one of the Tactical Aeromedical Evacuation Teams providing emergency medical cover on the aircraft going in and out of Kabul, caring for personnel and evacuating them to a safe location.
"The last flight I did was very emotional; we had been allocated specific patients, a family including a young child that had been injured. The language barrier made communication difficult so I used visual aids, showing them tea bags and milk etc to get a hot drink. Once we landed at the safe location and helped them off the aircraft, the young child smiled and gave us a thumbs up as we left – such a small gesture but it gave a huge sense of achievement and relief that we had done our job as well as we possibly could."
Senior Aircraftwoman Yates
Flight Lieutenant Andor also served in Afghanistan in 2019-2020, saying it was his proudest career moment to date.
"I felt that I played a key medical role in support UK & allied troops. I was based in Bagram, in the United States Role 2 hospital, which was the largest hospital in the whole country and the most well equipped/resourced. My presence there as a Aeromed expert meant that I was relied upon by several stakeholders to ensure the smooth & efficient movement of injured personnel through the medical chain. In mid-March 2020, some parts of Northern Afghanistan had recorded COVID 19 cases and I assisted the medical staff in writing up contingency plans."
Flight Lieutenant Andor
Air Vice Marshal Byford, Acting DCom Capabilities, was at the unveiling event.
"It’s so important to remember the legacy of RAF Medical Services, seen even more sharply in the last couple of years through the lens of the COVID pandemic. They are always there, often working quietly and unnoticed in the background, but they are critical enablers and force multipliers in the projection of Air Power in the Defence of our Nation, and supporting our allies.
“This exhibition showcases their work, such as the use of the Air Transportable Isolator, a joint Dept of Health & Social Care/ MOD capability. It was used to transport UK nationals infected with the Ebola virus and help the safe evacuation of cruise ship passengers at the start of the COVID pandemic."
Air Vice Marshal Byford
The new exhibition has the potential to be seen by up to 500,000 people each year, aiming to inform and inspire future generations to become part of the future of RAF Medical Services.
