General Duties Medical Officer Role 1 remote supervision in the era of Army Contingency Operations

摘要

The return to contingency after Operation HERRICK (2002-2014 Afghanistan conflict) has seen an emerging trend for small-scale rapidly developing expeditionary operations. The associated small, remote medical footprint for such operations, often within a coalition construct, reliant on host nation support is in direct conflict with the General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines for junior doctor supervision in an approved practice setting'. If a General Duties Medical Officer (GDMO) is nominated to support future operations, the provision of assured patient care and supervision within GMC guidelines, while ensuring career progression and ongoing education, may prove a challenge. Recently published British Army Policy aims to provide a framework to meet these challenges. The authors' first-hand experience in implementing this policy is explored further. The deployment of a remotely supervised GDMO, in line with British Army Policy, is both suitable and safe. This should assure quality medical care delivery during the era of Army Contingency Operations.