The UK Emergency Medical Team (UKEMT) is the UK’s front line response to a humanitarian crisis overseas, such as an earthquake or tsunami. Since 2013, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) has been working to integrate rehabilitation into the UKEMT.
The UKEMT is both scalable and flexible, which allows it to support affected countries immediately after a humanitarian emergency and deliver effective, life-saving healthcare.
Tailoring each response to the need, the UKEMT can deploy resources that include a fully-equipped surgical field hospital, a standalone specialist unit (e.g. rehabilitation, spinal injury, or outbreaks), or clinical personnel only, to work in existing infrastructure.
Funded by UK aid, the UKEMT is staffed by experienced NHS volunteers who can deploy at 24 hours' notice. The charity UK-Med maintians a register of UK-based medical and health professionals, who undergo rigorous pre-deployment training to prepare for working in disaster zones. The field hospital is operated with the support of the UK Fire and Rescue Service.
The UKEMT is a consortium of 4 different agencies: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK-Med, UK Fire and Rescue Services, and Humanity & Inclusion (HI).