The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have helped to shape the modern Defence Medical Services. Many lessons were learnt including the need for rapid haemorrhage control, senior decision-making and the evolution of deployed transfusion support. These changes were implemented simultaneously with a coherent, end-to-end medical plan from point of wounding through to rehabilitation. Implementation of the medical plan is harmonious with the NHS trauma pathway, and is key to ensuring effective delivery. Military anaesthetists have a long pre-deployment training pathway starting with a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in anaesthesia and/or critical care, and with an emphasis on military skills related to their specific role. Pre-deployment training includes additional skill training, team training and finally whole hospital collective training. This pathway ensures ongoing and continuing competence on an individual basis, and assurance that hospital management systems and clinical staff can function effectively as a deploying unit.

After >10 years of enduring operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Defence Strategic Direction is returning to a contingency posture. As the first post-Afghanistan operation, in September 2014, a UK Joint Inter-Agency Task Force deployed to Sierra Leone in response to the Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa. The aims were expanding treatment capacity, assisting with training and supporting host nation resilience. The insertion phase of this deployment created a unique set of challenges for force health protection. In addition to the considerable risk of tropical disease and trauma, deployed personnel faced the risks of working in an EVD epidemic. This report explores how deployed medical assets overcame the difficulties of mounting a short-notice contingent operation in a region of the world with inherent major climatic and health challenges.

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In response to the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, the UK deployed a Joint Inter-Agency Task Force to Sierra Leone. As well as constructing Ebola treatment units, the force supported a rapidly upscaled mass programme of training for host nation healthcare workers in basic knowledge of Ebola and personal protective equipment. A bespoke training course was developed in collaboration with the WHO and other partners over a period of 2 weeks, taught to 119 trainers the following week, and then cascaded to over 4000 Ebola workers over the following month. This article describes curriculum design, content delivery and assessment of this unique Training The Trainers course delivered in austere circumstances. Key learning points are highlighted and supplementary material is provided to inform future deployed clinical education initiatives.

The Defence Medical Services are now in an established period of contingency operations. In 2008, the Royal College of Anaesthetists approved a Military Anaesthesia Higher Training Module which could be easily achieved by deploying to the field hospital in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, for two months under the supervision of a consultant anaesthetist. This opportunity no longer exists but the need to assure quality training and to demonstrate military skill sets is still essential. This article discusses the revised Military Higher Module and how it will be implemented in the future either during deployment or during times of peace.