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Carol Betteridge OBE MCMI

Capt Carol Betteridge joined the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service in 1990 she deployed directly from Britannia Royal Naval College to Op GRANBY (Iraq) on RFA ARGUS as an Operating Theatre sister. On return to the UK she served at Royal Naval Hospital (RNH) STONEHOUSE in Plymouth followed by RNH GIBRALTAR. Returning to the UK in 1996 she joined RNH HASLAR as the Operating Theatre Superintendent running 7 Operating Theatres. In 1998 she was promoted to Lt Cdr and in 2002 returned to RNH GIBRALTAR, this time as Matron.

In 2004 Capt Betteridge was appointed to The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) in Northwood as a Medical Planner on the TELIC and Rest of the World desk, before moving onto the deployed element of the HQ joining Joint Force Headquarters. She deployed to Malawi on the austere exercises and assisted in the co-ordination of the evacuation of casualties from the Lebanon during Op HIGHBROW .

In 2007 Capt Betteridge attended The Advanced Command and Staff Course and on successful completion joined the Surgeon Generals Dept as SO1 Personnel and Policy. It was during this appointment Capt Betteridge was loaned to PJHQ as the Medical Planner for Operation ATALANTA dealing with ant-piracy operations deploying to Djibouti. In 2009 she was appointed as the Career Manager for Medical Services, QARNNS Officers and Warrant Officers at HMS EXCELLENT.

Throughout most of her Career she has worked with the Royal Marines in the Surgical Support Teams exercising in Germany, Egypt, Oman and Norway where she qualified in arctic survival. It was therefore an honour to be appointed as the Commanding Officer of the Hospital Regiment for Operation HERRICK 14 (Afghanistan) in support of

3 Commando Brigade, which was as she quotes "a humbling and life changing experience." Following a seven-month tour Capt Betteridge returned to the UK and the Royal Centre of Defence Medicine (RCDM) based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham as Second in Command. RCDM receives all Operational casualties from around the world caring not only for the severely injured but also for their families. Following her deployment, she was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal and in the 2012 Operational Honours List for her leadership on HERRICK 14 the Order of the British Empire.

Capt Betteridge was promoted to Captain in February 2013 and appointed as Chief of Staff (COS) to Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Health) (ACDS)Health in MOD London. As COS she assisted ACDS Health with Operational planning for the withdrawal from Afghanistan and military assistance to the Ebola outbreak in Africa.

Following her retirement from the RN in August 2015 Capt Betteridge was appointed as the Veterans Clinical Advisor for Help for Heroes, assisting Veterans with their healthcare within the NHS including Prosthetic care and Acute Brain Injury, liaising with the MOD, other charities and Government Agencies. In 2017 she was again promoted to National Head of Welfare and Clinical Services for H4H dealing with all aspects of Welfare provision whilst maintaining strategic oversight of the Clinical delivery. Through an award from the Headley Court Trust the Clinical Team expanded to deliver Community Rehabilitation and so Betteridge handed over Welfare to concentrate on Clinical Delivery which includes the oversight and leadership of the Very Seriously Injured Programme. This work is unfinished business for her as she wants to ensure the most seriously injured veterans receive the best possible support and care they deserve once they have left the Service. She is now Deputy Services Director for the charity.

She is married to Mick a non-serving, never retired, Royal Marine of 24 years and they are now living in Poole Dorset.