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Military trauma and orthopaedics experience of the UK COVID-19 pandemic: a lesson in versatility and how it can influence our deployed role
  1. Tim Packer1,2,
  2. L McMenemy3,4,
  3. J Kendrew5 and
  4. S A Stapley6,7
  1. 1 Academic Deptatment for Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK
  2. 2 Trauma and Orthopaedics, St Mary’s Hospital, London, UK
  3. 3 Institute of Naval Medicine, Gosport, UK
  4. 4 Centre for Blast Injury Studies, Imperial College London, London, UK
  5. 5 Trauma and Orthopaedics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK
  6. 6 Medical Directorate, RCDM, Birmingham, UK
  7. 7 Trauma and Orthopaedics, Portsmouth NHS Trust, Portsmouth, Hants, UK
  1. Correspondence to Mr Tim Packer, Academic Deptatment for Mitilitary Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham B15 2GW, UK; timothy.packer{at}nhs.net

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated unprecedented change within the NHS. Some medical staff have been deployed into unfamiliar roles, while others have been exposed to innovative ways of working. The embedded military Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) cadre have been integral to this change. Many of these new skills and ways of working learnt will be transferable to deployed environments. Feedback from the T&O military cadre highlighted key areas of learning as changes in T&O services, use of technology, personal protective equipment, redeployment and training. This paper aims to discuss how these changes were implement and how they could be used within future military roles. The T&O cadre played important roles within their NHS trusts and the skills they learnt will broaden their skills and knowledge for future deployments.

  • orthopaedic & trauma surgery
  • trauma management
  • medical education & training

This article is made freely available for personal use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001663

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @loumcmenemy

    • Contributors SAS: original idea and final edit of manuscript. TP: collected survey data, wrote manuscript and submitted. LM: edited survey, planned and edited manuscript. JK: facilitated trainee conference and final edit of manuscript.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.