UK to speed up armed forces recruitment using new digital system
A new digital system – fully integrated with the NHS – will dramatically cut delays for those joining the armed forces, boosting readiness and recruitment.
Archaic paper-based records, which date back decades, will be scraped and replaced with a modern digital system, already widely used by the NHS, the Ministry of Defence said in an accompanying statement.
Currently, transferring health records between the NHS and the Defence Medical Services relies on time-consuming paperwork that slows recruitment and harms how quickly personnel can be deployed on operations. Similarly, when leaving the military, service leavers will also have a seamless transition.
The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £7.8 million contract to Leeds-based software company The Phoenix Partnership for the new tech. By 2027, the new system will help get recruits through the door and into training faster, and ensure serving personnel are ready when needed.
In November, the government rolled out a new NHS programme to ensure veterans, serving personnel, reservists and their families to receive better healthcare in recognition of their service.
The new programme – backed by £1.8 million over 3 years – is being rolled out across England to ensure NHS staff across the country are trained to deliver personalised and targeted healthcare to armed forces personnel and their families.
The national training and education plan will support all NHS bodies to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
This will ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged because of their service in the armed forces, and reduce inequalities and variation in veterans’ healthcare.
“Our Armed Forces deserve a healthcare system as modern as they are. For too long, paper-based records have slowed down recruitment and created unnecessary headaches for those leaving the military,” said Minister for Veterans People, Louise Sandher-Jones.
“This new system will cut through the bureaucracy, getting recruits into uniform faster and ensuring veterans transition smoothly to civilian life. It’s a concrete example of this government delivering on our promise to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve – and proof that defence investment means British jobs and British growth.”
