The history of the service can be traced back to 1692 when treatment for sick and wounded naval personnel was administered by the Commissioners of the Sick and Hurt Board until 1806, when medical officers of the Royal Navy had been under the direction of the Transport Board. In 1817 the Transport Board was combined with the Navy Board, and responsibility for medical officers passed to the Victualling Board. In 1832 the two remaining bodies of the Royal Navy were abolished following recommendations by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir James Graham. Now a new Physician of the Navy, reporting to one of the members of the Board of Admiralty, was put in charge of the navy medical department; the title of this post was changed to Physician-General of the Navy in 1835, then to Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets in 1841, and then to Director-General of the Medical Department of the Navy in 1844. In 1879 the offices of the director-general were located at 9 New Street, Spring Gardens, London. In 1917 following further re-structuring within the Admiralty Department it became known as the Royal Navy Medical Service headed by Medical Director General of the Navy until 2002, when it was re-styled once more to Medical Director General ; the MDG Naval currently reports to Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.
Current structure
The medical branch today is made up of Medical Officers and non-commissioned officers and ratings as medical assistants, who receive similar training to paramedics. Nursing services are provided for the navy by the QARNNS which works alongside the Medical Service, but is a separate organisation. In total, 1,522 personnel are employed by the service. It is currently commanded by Commodore Inga J Kennedy CBE QHNS QARNNS, the Medical Director General ; MDG and Chief Naval Medical Officer. The honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the RNMS is Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. In her role as Commodore-in-Chief, the Duchess visited the training-establishment HMS Excellent in January 2012, to award medals to naval medical teams returning from service in Afghanistan. All ranks of the medical branch provide medical care afloat as well at naval shore establishments and with the royal marines.
Medical Assistants
Medical Assistants are deployed on all major warships and submarines of the Royal Navy, and provide primary care to the crew. They also have the role of training the crew in first aid. Capital ships often carry non-commissioned medical technicians as part of the larger medical department, who perform laboratory work to aid the medical assistants and officers. Medical Assistants both male and female provide medical close support and shore side medical care to all Units of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. All medical assistants are ranked in the same manner as other ratings.
Medical Officers
s have separate medical departments permanently staffed by one or two medical officers, but they are embarked temporarily on smaller vessels when on a long operational tour. Medical officers are ranked in the same manner as other officers, but wear red stripes between the gold on their epaulets, and have the title 'Surgeon' added to their rank. Although Royal Navy medical officers are qualified doctors, they do not use the Dr prefix, like those in other British military medical organisations.
Administration of the Royal Navy Medical Service
Note: This is an incomplete list.
Physician of the Navy
Sir William Burnett, 9 Jun 1832-1835
Physician-General of the Navy
Sir William Burnett, 1835 – 27 January 1841
Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets
Sir William Burnett, 28 January 1841 – 31 December 1843
Director-General of the Medical Department of the Navy
