The Ministry of Defence has established Programme GRIFFIN to coordinate the UK military contribution to NATO’s Medical Action Plan, with an initial assessment identifying relevant Defence activity across all five areas of the Alliance initiative.
The programme was confirmed in a written parliamentary answer to Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who asked what assessment had been made of the extent to which Defence Medical Services are aligned with NATO’s Medical Action Plan. Veterans and People Minister Calvin Bailey said: “The Surgeon General formally agreed the NATO Medical Action Plan on behalf of UK Defence in January 2025.”
He said the plan is intended to strengthen medical readiness and interoperability across the Alliance, covering regulatory alignment, workforce shortages, mass casualty planning, patient evacuation and medical logistics. Bailey stated: “The NATO Medical Action Plan is a strategic initiative to enhance medical readiness and interoperability for collective defence and focuses on improving regulatory alignment, addressing healthcare workforce shortages, enhancing integrated mass casualty planning, streamlining patient evacuation, and strengthening medical logistics.”
Defence Medical Command, previously known as Headquarters Defence Medical Services, has been given responsibility for coordinating the UK military contribution.
Bailey said: “Defence Medical Command, previously Headquarters Defence Medical Services, has established Programme GRIFFIN to lead on the UK military contribution to the NATO Medical Action Plan.”
The MOD said Programme GRIFFIN has already completed a baseline assessment of activity across Defence relevant to the NATO plan. He added: “This has identified activity in all five themes as set out in the NATO Medical Action Plan and the assessment provides the basis for cohering and prioritising activity.”
