An MOD announcement of 14 October confirms that Professor Jason Leitch CBE takes up the post of Chief of Defence Medical on 2 November 2026.
He succeeds Air Marshal Clare Walton, who retired in July. Surgeon General Major General Phil Carter has been acting as interim Chief.
This is an interesting appointment because Leitch is a civilian healthcare leader rather than a senior military medical officer. A qualified dentist, his background is in clinical leadership, public health policy and healthcare management, particularly in Scotland where his service as national clinical director notably included the COVID emergency.
The Surgeon General remains the senior technical authority for Defence medicine.
Why it matters
The new Defence Medical Command, first announced by the MOD in May 2026 with Full Operating Capability planned for May 2027, is intended to bring together two related but distinct responsibilities:
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Healthcare for serving personnel – including primary care, mental health, rehabilitation and medical fitness.
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Operational medical capability – including battlefield casualty treatment, evacuation, field hospitals and preparation for large-scale warfare.
The Strategic Defence Review identified the need for a more integrated Defence Medical system, particularly in light of lessons from Ukraine.
The MOD has also announced £50 million of investment in frontline medical capability, including new equipment and treatments.
From a BAFF perspective
The change from HQ Defence Medical Services to Defence Medical Command involves a significant organisational reform, rather than just another change of title. It will be worth seeing whether the new Chief can exercise meaningful authority over the medical arrangements of all three Services and whether that produces improvements experienced by personnel.
There is also an interesting question about the relationship between the civilian Chief of Defence Medical and the uniformed Surgeon General, particularly where operational medical priorities and ordinary healthcare provision compete for resources.
The MOD's May announcement explicitly emphasised that the reform was about improving how decisions are made, rather than changing what medical personnel actually do. That distinction may be worth watching.