The Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service

The Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (PMRAFNS) is committed to providing a skilled, knowledgeable and able nursing workforce to deliver high quality care, whilst being responsive to the dynamic nature of RAF Nursing in peacetime and on operations

The PMRAFNS consists of 498 nurses working across numerous clinical specialities at locations in the UK, overseas and on deployed operations. The PMRAFNS fulfil several key roles within Defence, these include; the provision of Primary Healthcare, Secondary Healthcare and Mental Health services to Defence personnel and their families. In conjunction with these roles, RAF nurses undertake the vital task of providing an Aeromedical Evacuation service to Defence personnel and entitled civilians. Aeromedical Evacuation involves moving ill and injured personnel quickly and safely to the healthcare centre that is best for that patient’s recovery. The RAF’s Aeromedical Evacuation service can move casualties from anywhere in the world and is not limited in any way by the clinical dependency of the person being moved.

In Afghanistan PMRAFNS nurses form a vital part of the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) and evacuate casualties from their point of wounding aboard helicopters to the field hospitals in very strenuous and harrowing conditions. In due course the patient may be evacuated all the way back to the United Kingdom, in which case they will be under the care of PMRAFNS Nurses. If the casualty is seriously ill then the RAF has a Critical Care Air Support Team (CCAST), a multi disciplinary team of highly trained personnel who can provide intensive care level treatment on the RAF’s fixed wing aircraft or helicopters.

Additional to the full time regular PMRAFNS personnel are our Reserve colleagues in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) Squadrons 4626 and 612, based at RAF Lyneham and RAF Leuchars respectively. Squadron personnel have a vital role to play on deployed operations and exercises. Members of both Squadrons are currently serving in Afghanistan alongside their regular colleagues.

The PMRAFNS prides itself on providing the highest possible levels of nursing care in any environment. With intensive training packages, an ethos of continuous professional development and a commitment to excellence, the PMRAFNS are some of the United Kingdom’s most capable and professional nurses.