World-class medical services for UK armed forces
9 May 2014 03:44 PM
A centre of excellence for defence medical
training has been formally dedicated in
Staffordshire.
Her
Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall formally dedicated the new home of
defence medical training, Defence Medical Services (Whittington), yesterday (8
May 2014), marking the completion of a major building project.
The
centre, based in the Midlands, is now a unified headquarters for theDefence Medical
Services (DMS), bringing together all defence medical training into
one specialist site. The final stage of this project saw the relocation of the
Defence College of Health Education and Training (DCHET) to Whittington earlier
this year.
The
Midlands medical accommodation project has transformed the former Whittington
Barracks, thanks to a £138 million investment.
The
Surgeon General, Air Marshal Paul Evans, said:
Today celebrated significant milestones, including the
completion of the building project which has transformed this site into a
world-class centre of excellence for defence medical training with
state-of-the-art facilities.
Around 7,000 trainees and students will now be able to
develop their medical training every year at DMS’s new site, which
includes a lecture theatre and training ward.
And
the DCHET will ensure that defence medical personnel have the skills
they need to deliver best practice healthcare to those serving in the UK armed
forces.
Dr
Dan Poulter, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health,
said:
The
armed forces put their lives on the line for our country every day, and we have
a duty to provide them with the best health facilities
possible.
This new world-class centre will help enhance the
medical training delivered to our armed forces personnel and ensure they
receive the care they deserve.