ADF health specialists deploy to Afghanistan

The Australian Defence Force has provided specialist medical support for the Role 3 Medical Facility at Kandahar. Eight health professionals deployed to Afghanistan in early May 2012, with a further eight to rotate in later this year.

These health professionals have been drawn from all three Services, and are a combination of permanent force and Reserve personnel.  The health professionals have been selected based on the appropriateness of their skill sets and include General Surgeons, Anaesthetists, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Perioperative Nurses and Intensive Care Nurses.

The majority of these health professionals are Reservists, with three coming from the Australian Defence Force Medical Specialist Team from the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. The Australian Defence Force Medical Specialist Team is a team employed by the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital under an agreement that allows for operational deployment at short notice.

Commander Joint Health Rear Admiral Robyn Walker said these 16 health professionals are part of the ADF’s professional health workforce that provide the capability to deploy medical services at short notice to support global ADF operations.  Their deployment follows a request from the United States.

“I am very proud to be in a position to support the request from the United States for health professionals.  They will provide key services within the Role 3 Medical Facility in Kandahar,” Rear Admiral Walker said.

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