From the operating room to the battlefield: A consultant surgeon’s experience as a Reservist

After I graduated from the University of Wales, College of Medicine, and earned my specialist accreditation in surgery I became a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) in 2000.

I have held senior management roles, including clinical director and deputy director of surgery, leading several initiatives to improve patient care and surgical outcomes. In 2015, seeking a new challenge, I joined the Army Reserves, completing the professionally qualified officers’ course at Sandhurst in 2017 with the rank of Major.

Through my military training, I have developed critical skills that directly benefit my work in the NHS. Training such as the military operational surgical team training covers advanced trauma surgery techniques rarely practised in civilian settings but crucial in emergency scenarios. Reservists receive access to professional development courses funded by the military, such as the European Trauma Course, which enhances their clinical expertise at no additional cost to their employer.

Since then, I have taken part in high-profile military training exercises and operational deployments, including serving as second in command of a deployed field hospital in Germany in 2018  and deployed medical director on an exercise in the UK in 2019. I also won a silver medal as part of the patrol race team at the Army Medical Services Ski Championships in 2019.

I was deployed as part of a UN stabilisation and peacekeeping mission in Mali, serving as clinical director. 

During this deployment working alongside a German-led field hospital, my team was called in to assist with life-saving surgery on an Egyptian soldier injured by an improvised explosive device (IED). I was able to support the less experienced surgeons. This was a defining moment, where the privilege of using the skills I had developed over many years in the NHS, combined with my military training, to make a direct impact on saving a life.

In 2023, I was appointed deputy consultant advisor (Reserves) for general and vascular surgery, further solidifying my leadership role in the military medical community.

Many NHS trusts, including ELHT, recognise the value Reservists bring and provide policies that enable them to balance both roles. ELHT grants two additional weeks of leave per year for military training, allowing Reservists like me to fulfil our service obligations without compromising their NHS responsibilities. 

Balancing the commitments of an NHS Consultant and Army Reservist is not without its challenges, but the two roles complement rather than compete. Most Reservist activities take place on weekends and evenings, and annual training and deployments are planned well in advance, ensuring that NHS teams can manage workloads accordingly. However, the greatest challenge is the impact on personal life, as military commitments sometimes interfere with social and family obligations. Support from colleagues, the NHS, and family plays a vital role in making this balance achievable.

While consultants like me have greater flexibility over their schedules, junior doctors and nurses face more constraints in balancing NHS and Reservist commitments. Ensuring that all NHS Reservists receive equal support is essential for sustaining a strong, resilient workforce.

The Armed Forces fund professional development courses worth thousands of pounds, which enhance NHS workforce skills without additional training costs. By fostering a culture that values and supports Reservists, NHS trusts can build a workforce that is not only technically proficient but also adaptable, disciplined and prepared for any challenge.