Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that all Defence Medical Services medical officers undertaking Foundation Year (a) 1 and (b) 2 training within NHS hospitals receive (i) high-fidelity and (ii) role-specific training to (A) maintain and (B) develop their core military medical skill set.

Defence Medical Services (DMS) medical officers undertake Foundation Programme training within NHS hospitals as Phase 0 Trainees prior to initial (Phase 1 and 2) military training. This is to allow DMS medical officers to develop their clinical and professional skills in the workplace and meet the competences and outcomes of the Foundation Programme. Following completion of the Foundation Programme, Phase 1 and 2 training ensures high-fidelity and role-specific training to develop core military medical skill set.