Exercise Medical Endeavour (formerly the South West NHS Military Challenge) took place at Okehampton Army Training Camp in Devon at the weekend (7-9 June). This annual event aims to provide NHS colleagues with an insight into the military healthcare teams, to encourage better working relationships and perhaps recruit NHS staff to sign up as reservists.
NHS Trusts from across the South West were invited to enter teams and competed in two days of events; testing physical, clinical and mental agility, as well as the ability to work as a team.
Systems Reporting Technician Kay Porter (Number 9) formed part of the Gloucestershire Health and Care (GHC) team. Kay said: “The GHC team comprised both clinical and non-clinical colleagues – many of whom had not met previously, but we gelled straightaway.
“Upon arrival on the Friday evening we were met by our Training Liaison Officer (TLO) who was with our team throughout the event, explaining the purpose and real-life application of the tasks we were competing in.
“Each task was awarded points for its completion, and how we worked as a team added to our weekend team total. The tasks tested a range of different skills, but ultimately how we as a team overcame the situations we were presented with.”
Tasks included:
- Building a basher (shelter)
- Search and tracking: Identifying and remembering 20 objects hidden in a wooded area and identifying animals from their tracks
- Vehicle and causality recovery through a minefield
- Casualty Unit: Returning a casualty to the recovery tent for medical intervention, prior to handover
- Search and rescue of casualties in a battlefield scenario (complete with gunfire)
- Firing weapons on a digital range
- Making a bridge using two ropes between two trees for the team to cross
- Erecting an eight-metre mast using written instructions
- Problem solving and evacuating casualties from a minefield – two members of the team were blindfolded and directed to safety by the rest of the team
- Armed Forces quiz
- Assault course
- Running race: This involved running uphill, collecting a weighted stretcher and taking it back downhill, followed by a casualty drag across a field.
Kay continued: “The event was a great opportunity to experience what it would be like to be a combat medical professional, or other specialism. We now look to 2025 and the next Exercise Medical Endeavour, and encourage our Trust colleagues to put themselves forward and have a go.”
The title this year was won by Dorset County NHS Trust, with our GHC team taking 11th position.
GHC colleagues interested in taking part in next year’s 10th anniversary event should email Andrew.Mills@ghc.nhs.uk or Andrew.Wheeler@ghc.nhs.uk
