Royal Army Medical Service
{{short description|Medical Service of the British Army}}
{{use British English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Royal Army Medical Service
| image = Royal Army Medical Services cap badge.png
| image_size =
| caption = Badge of the Royal Army Medical Service
| dates = 15 November 2024–present
| country = {{UK}}
| allegiance =
| branch = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| type = Medical arm of the British Army
| role = Medicine (all aspects including Dentistry)
| size =
| garrison = Staff College, Camberley
| command_structure =
| corps_colonel =
| ceremonial_chief =
| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| colonel_of_the_regiment_label =
| commander1 = Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
| commander1_label = Colonel-in-Chief
| commander2 = Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh
| commander2_label = Deputy Colonel-in-Chief
| commander3 = Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester
| commander3_label = Deputy Colonel-in-Chief
| commander4 = Major-General Timothy Hodgetts{{London Gazette|issue=64659|page=2956|supp=y|date=18 February 2025}}
| commander4_label = Master General Medical
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto = Steadfast
| colours = Dull Cherry, Atholl Grey, Victoria Green.
| march = Here's a Health unto His Majesty
| mascot =
| battles =
| anniversaries = Corps Day (24 June)
| identification_symbol = 100px
| identification_symbol_label = Tactical Recognition Flash
}}
The Royal Army Medical Service (RAMS) is a specialist corps in the British Army, formed on 15 November 2024, which provides health services, including medicine, nursing and dentistry to military personnel in war and in peace.
The Service was formed from the amalgamation of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Army Dental Corps, and Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps.{{cite news|url=https://www.army.mod.uk/news/the-royal-army-medical-service-created-to-ensure-british-army-healthcare-is-fit-for-the-future/|title=The Royal Army Medical Service created to ensure British Army healthcare is fit for the future|publisher=British Army|date=15 October 2024|accessdate=16 October 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/13/merge-historic-army-medical-corps-into-single-regiment-plan/|title=Plan to merge Army medical corps into single regiment|publisher=The Telegraph|date=13 April 2024|accessdate=16 October 2024}}
History
= Formation of the Royal Army Medical Service =
On 15 October 2024, it was announced in parliament that King Charles had approved the creation of the Royal Army Medical Service (RAMS) for the British Army. This formation was the result of an amalgamation process known as Project Victoria, which proposed an integration of the Army's three previous healthcare corps:{{cite web|url=https://www.ramcassociation.org.uk/images/PDFs/ProjectVICTORIA-ANNOUNCEMENT.pdf|title=Project Victoria|publisher=British Army|access-date=15 November 2024}}
- Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC),
- Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC),
- Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC).{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mod.uk/news/the-royal-army-medical-service-created-to-ensure-british-army-healthcare-is-fit-for-the-future/|title=The Royal Army Medical Service created to ensure British Army healthcare is fit for the future|publisher=The British Army|access-date=15 November 2024}}
The Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) remains an independent corps outside of the Royal Army Medical Service due to their legal and operational combatant status which differs from the special protected status of the RAMC, RADC and QARANC.
The official amalgamation parade took place on 15 November 2024 at Staff College, Camberley.{{Cite web |last=Sadler |first=Claire |date=2024-11-15 |title=Historic creation of new Royal Army Medical Service officially marked at Sandhurst |url=https://www.forcesnews.com/services/army/historic-creation-new-royal-army-medical-service-officially-marked-sandhurst |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=www.forcesnews.com |language=en}}
=Cap badge=
The Royal Army Medical Service's cap badge is an amalgamation of elements from the three antecedent corps:
- Crown and Laurel - common to all three corps
- Sword blade from the Royal Army Dental Corps
- Dannebrog cross from the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
- Serpent from the Royal Army Medical Corps
Order of precedence
{{S-start}}
{{order of precedence |
before= Royal Logistic Corps|
title= Order of Precedence|
after= Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
}}
{{S-end}}