THE FOLLOWING PAPER GIVES THE BACKGROUND BEHIND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW RNMS BADGE`
OPTIONS PAPER REGARDING THE CREATION OF AN OFFICAL ROYAL NAVY MEDICAL SERVICE EMBLEM.
Background
1. During the H14 force generation, the RN led medical group tried to order a number of crests for official gifts in accordance with RNTM-069/11. As no official RNMS crest exists (ie agreed through the Ships Naming and Badge Committee) the Medical Group could not get any created.
2. On joining Medical Division enquiries were made to the Ship’s Names and Badge Committee about getting the currently used badge (Figure 1) made official.
Figure 1
3. Investigations made by the Ship’s Names and Badge Committee discovered that the RNMS have a far more historic emblem which has been in previous use. The badge of the Royal Naval Medical Service is deriving from that of the Sick and Hurt Board (a subsidiary of the Navy Board, which operated between 1715 and 1806), which was the snake of Asclepius twined around an anchor and it was adopted for the uniform insignia of naval medical officers. A copy of which can be seen in Figure 2. Figure 3 is a photo of a plaque presented in 1971 to the then MDG(N) – this demonstrates that this more historic emblem was used as the badge of the RNMS within the last 40 years.
Figure 2
Figure 3
Requirement
4 In accordance with QRR(N)88, any unofficial badge should not incorporate the Naval Crown. Unofficial emblems use, and incorporation in plaques and shields would not be supported by public funds, nor should it be used alongside the RN logo. As part of the development of the DMS Whittington site there is a wish to develop official banners of all three Medical Service emblems.
5. A decision therefore needs to be made as to whether the RNMS will continue to use the unofficial badge or agree on an official emblem which would be made into an official seal and could be used in a formal and in a publicly funded manner.
Options
6. The following are seen as the options
a. Option 1 – Do nothing – keep using unofficial emblem as it is widely used across the RNMS and in the RN Medical Club.
b. Option 2 – Keep using unofficial badge, but remove the crown as per QRR(N) 88.
c. Option 3 – Create an official emblem via the Ship’s Names and Badge Committee
Discussion
7. Although the cheapest and potentially easiest option would be to do nothing and ignore the requirement; the loss of primary healthcare to the DPHC organisation does present the opportunity to rebrand the RNMS with a new emblem. Option 2, to remove the crown and keep the Rod and Serpent, is not considered a viable option. Option 3 creates some advantages, by formally approving an emblem, it could used for official gifts and presentations; it could also drive a PR campaign. However, this would create some loss of linkage with the RN Medical Club. Costs for other areas to incorporate the new emblem would have to be considered and planned for in some areas (INM / NCHQ).
THE OUTCOME OF THE PAPER WAS THAT THE SICK AND HURT BOARD BADGE WAS PROPOSED TO THE SHIPS NAMES AND BADGE COMMITTEE AND PASSED AS OFFICIAL ON 30TH OCT 2013
ONCE APPROVED, THE REPROGRAPHICS DEPT AT HMS EXCELLENT PRODUCED DIGITAL VERSION AND THIS IS NOW TO BE USED ON ALL OFFICIAL RNMS COMMUNICATION.
