Dr Paul Evans joined the RAF in 1975 as a medical cadet, qualifying in Medicine in 1978. He undertook 4 tours (3 as Senior Medical Officer) as a medical officer on RAF flying stations and studied for the Diploma in Aviation Medicine in 1987. From 1990 he undertook medical managerial appointments as Command Flight Medical Officer at RAF Support Command, OC Medical Wing RAF Hospital Wegberg and Medico-Legal Adviser to DGMS(RAF) before attending RAF Staff College in 1996, where he was Course Leader.
Between 1996 and 2003, he has undertaken further medical managerial appointments culminating in promotion to Air Commodore Director Healthcare within Surgeon General’s Department in 2003. In this post he was responsible for the provision of secondary care for Service personnel in UK, including the re-configuration of Defence Medical Services (DMS) mental health services and the development of the Defence Rehabilitation Plan and rapid access for imaging and surgery for musculoskeletal injuries. He completed the last term at the Royal College of Defence Studies in November 2004. He was appointed a Queen’s Honorary Physician in 2005.
In July 2008, he took up appointment as Chief of Staff Health and Director General Medical Services, Royal Air Force. He was appointed as Commander Joint Medical Command (JMC) in September 2009 where he was responsible for areas including Secondary Healthcare and Commissioning, Defence Dental Services,Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHUs), Defence Postgraduate Deanery, Medical Research, the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and DMRC Headley Court, and the Defence Medical Services Training Group. He was selected as Surgeon General and took up appointment in December 2012 in the rank of Air Marshal. As Surgeon General he was the senior responsible officer for the end-to-end delivery of healthcare in the home-base and on operations.
On retirement from the RAF on completion of his 3-year appointment as Surgeon General, he has undertaken part-time consultancy with the Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management (FMLM) as well as an Appraiser for the Faculty. In Jul 19, he was appointed as Medical Director of FMLM where he now has responsibility for the professional aspects of the Faculty that includes membership, fellowship, accreditation and Appraisal and Revalidation.
He was awarded the CB in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June 14 in recognition of his remarkable and sustained contribution to Defence Medicine and the wellbeing and care of Service personnel and veterans and a Founding Senior Fellowship of the Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management in Oct 2017.
Paul is a Founding Senior Fellow of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, an FMLM senior appraiser and a member of the Standards Certification Awards Committee.
