B SQN, 204 FIELD HOSPITAL - LIFE AFTER OP HERRICK - Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Northern Ireland

There is little doubt that tremendous advances were made in military medicine and equipment in recent times but as the Army moves definitely into a post-OP HERRICK phase – the hospital neatly packed away into a series of iso containers and OP GRITROCK at an end – you may wonder what contingency operations means for a field hospital.

B squadron is responsible for Primary Health Care, Intensive Care and the Wards within 204 (NI) Field Hospital. Crewed with Combat Medical Technicians (CMTs), Nurses and Doctors, B Squadron, led by Major James Gilpin, has recently taken up a new home in Portadown, Co. Armagh in a shared facility with the Royal Irish Regiment. Much more than just a drill hall and gym, this facility offers a clinical training environment which can be adapted and changed to reflect an austere Role 1 Regimental Aid Post complete with scrim coverings or an enhanced Role 3 hospital facility, much like that seen in Camp Bastion.

With the likelihood of austere times ahead, B squadron has begun a series of CMT training sessions in preparation for the next deployment. Two sessions were conducted by experienced clinical staff from 204 during 2015, with a strong emphasis on clinical skills such as venepuncture, cannulation, airway management and clinical monitoring. Small group teaching and breakout sessions are the mainstay of training with opportunities to take part in clinical scenarios involving mannequins and simulators. Much more than the idea of notion play, the aim is to keep training as true as possible to a real combat environment.

Following the experience of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care course delivered by the US Navy on Annual Camp this year, a third training session in February 2016 will involve moving the whole simulation outside to a combat scenario including enemy fire. We feel it is imperative to train in an environment as close to that seen on operations as possible. While the next deployment is yet to begin, it is unlikely to be too far into the future. The environment may well be much more austere that that seen in recent times but we intend to ensure that the level of expertise and knowledge is second to none.