King's College London

In many countries, the security system (armed forces, police, prisons) operates medical services alongside the public health system, the private health system and charities or other non-government health service providers. The security system health services meet the health needs of its personnel, and often, family members and other civilians. This may be an important part of the overall government-funded health economy, especially in response to domestic or international crises.

The primary focus of our research is the analysis of civil-military relations within health economies, both nationally and as part of national and international crisis reponse. This includes comparing military medical services between countries and civil-military co-operation on humanitarian, peacekeeping and combat operations. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has substantially raised the profile of civil-military co-operation as part of the response to health threats to national security.

Other areas of research and analysis include: organisation of military medical services; innovation and lessons learned from military clinical practice; civil-military collaboration in the care of armed forces personnel and veterans; and military medical ethics (see the medical ethics in crisis Research Theme).

Partners

• Academic Centre for Defence Health Engagement, UK Defence Medical Services
• NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine
• Multinational Medical Coordination Centre/European Medical Command