Neil Gilbert

Forum Chair

General Practice Nursing Officer

Neil joined the army in December 1998 and, after 2 tours of Kosovo as an armoured Infantry Soldier in the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (PWRR), transferred to the QARANC to complete his nurse training. Qualifying in 2007, he completed his preceptorship at Frimley Park hospital during which time he deployed to Iraq as a General Practice nurse. 

Following a number of years teaching basic training to new army recruits, Neil was assigned to 1 Armoured Medical Regiment where he was quickly seconded to deploy to Afghanistan, again as a General Practice nurse. On his return he moved into clinical training and worked closely with the United States army, completing both the NATO first responder course, and qualifying for the US Army Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB). He was invited back to teach on this event the next year, working hand in hand with the US army in delivering medical training.

Following a further assignment to 4 Armoured Medical Regiment, he deployed to BATUS Canada to assess battlegroup medical delivery as an observer mentor, and it was during this time that he completed his General Practice nurse specialisation. Commissioning as an Officer in 2017 he has subsequently been assigned to DPHC as a Senior Nursing Officer (SNO) in Northern Ireland, Germany, Winchester and is currently the Senior Nursing Officer at Redford medical centre, in Edinburgh.

A qualified nurse prescriber, he remains a member of the Battlefield Advance Trauma Life Support (BATLS) course teaching faculty and supports defence inspections as a CQC Specialist Advisor (SpA). 

James Cooper

Nursing Officer

James qualified as a Registered Nurse (Adult Health) in September 2000. The following month, he started his basic training as a soldier at the Army Training Regiment Lichfield. His first assignment to Frimley Park Hospital (Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit) included his first Operational Deployment to Afghanistan on OP FINGAL. In the subsequent years, he completed numerous deployed operations on JACANA, TELIC, HERRICK, and GRITROCK.

Between deployments, he completed a BSc (Hons) as a specialist practitioner in Burns, Plastic, and Reconstructive Surgery. In 2010, he was commissioned as an Officer and served in numerous hospital Units, the Field Army, and Birmingham City University, where he completed an MSc in Education. He was then appointed as the Nurse Education Advisor (Army) at the Defence Medical Deanery for three years.

He is currently the Deputy OC Nursing at Frimley Park Hospital (Joint Hospital Group—South East) and is moving to 1 Medical Regiment as the Senior Nursing Officer in 2024. He lectures on polytrauma, burns, plastic and reconstructive surgery and ballistic injury wound care. He maintains an academic role as an external examiner and provides through life learning as a professional development facilitator.

Rebecca Crisp

Becky qualified as a registered nurse in September 2020. She joined Portsmouth University Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic where she gained experienced in respiratory and critical care. From this, she was inspired to obtain a post-graduate diploma in advanced practice intensive care.

She has supported OP RESCRIPT through vaccinating communities in Manchester and Isle of Skye.

She has an enthusiasm towards quality improvement and research in the following areas critical care, trauma, sustainability and AI.

Mark Cadman

Nursing Officer

Mark originally commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1991 as a Midshipman. Following initial officer training at Dartmouth, he saw active service in the Adriatic with NATO contributing to Operation Maritime Monitor and Operation Sky Monitor serving on HMS INVINCIBLE.

After leaving Regular Service he commenced his Registered Nurse training in the University of Wales College of Medicine, graduating in 1999. A brief stint in anaesthetics was followed by a career in frontline Emergency Medicine and pre-hospital care.

Militarily, he re-joined the Services in 2003 commissioning into the QARANC as a reservist. Following entry officer training, he was trawled for his first operational tour in 2004 and deployed to Op TELIC 5 as an ED Specialist Nurse. Subsequent tours followed on Op HERRICK 4, 8, 11 and 19 in various roles including Regimental Nursing Officer at Role 1 and as the Nursing Officer in Charge of the Emergency Department at Role 2 and Role 3. His last tour of Afghanistan saw him fulfilling the role of the last Second in Command of the Role 3 Hospital in Camp Bastion in 2014.

Firm base postings have been served with 203 (Welsh) Field Hospital in various posts culminating as Officer Commanding Nursing Squadron and Senior Nursing Officer from April 2016 to April 2019. Latterly, he commanded 225 (Scottish) Medical Regiment from September 2019 to March 2022. He was also mobilised as SO1 Med to Standing Joint Command (UK) between Oct 21 and Oct 22, acting as the principal UK operations medical advisor to the 3* HQ.

He is currently the Senior Nursing Officer for 203 (Welsh) Multirole Medical Regiment and has also been trawled and mobilised abroad to support Op INTERLINK in Germany and Poland until April 2025.

Mark has a degree in nursing, a post graduate diploma in Advanced Practice and was recently elevated to a Fellowship of the Chartered Management Institute. He is an instructor in ALS, EPALS, MIMMS, BATLS and M-PHEC. Mark was awarded the Glover Prize by Director Army Nursing Services in 2008 and appointed as an Associate of the Royal Red Cross in the 2009 Operational Honours List.

Mark also served on the Emergency Care Association steering committee in 2017 to 2018.

Suzanne Turner

Suzanne qualified as a nurse in 2014, following a change of career direction, having previously worked for the MoD as a civil servant for 20+ years. Initially Suzanne worked in the community as a community nurse in Nottingham and Suffolk whilst accompanying her serving military husband. Whilst in Suffolk, Suzanne was successful in gaining a B7 Clinical Team Lead Post.

A posting to Kinloss in Scotland resulted in a new direction. Suzanne was successful in the obtaining the post of Specialist Practice Nurse at Fort George working with The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3SCOTS). Unfortunately, the closure of the Medical Centre resulted in a relocation to Kinloss Medical Centre.

Suzanne is currently working in the Defence Primary Health Care Regional Nurse Advisor role (Scotland and Northern Ireland).

Suzanne has a degree in nursing and is currently undertaking the dissertation module for her MSc in Advanced Professional Practice. She became the first civilian Defence nurse to be awarded the title of Queens Nurse by The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland and is also a Professional Nurse Advocate. She has a passion for understanding and promoting civility in the workplace and impact on patient safety and has collaborated with internal and external bodies to promote this.

Maj Danielle Cording

Royal Army Medical Services

Dani joined the Army in 2001 as a Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) Student Nurse. Training at the University of Central England, Birmingham, she qualified as a Registered Nurse in 2005. Initially specialising in in Critical Care, Dani has served in some of the most challenging of environments, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, and Norway. In the UK, she has served in Medical Regiments and NHS hospitals alike, working alongside Tri-service and civilian nursing colleagues.

Retraining in Occupational Health (OH) Nursing in 2021, Dani completed the PG Dip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Course at the University of the West of England, Bristol, entering Part 3 of the NMC register. She currently works for Defence Healthcare Recovery Group, maximising the efficiency and clinical effectiveness of Tri-service OH delivery. Dani is the Senior Nurse Advisor (Army) for OH, and is responsible for nurturing and shaping the future of the speciality within the Army. She is passionate about military nursing, and championing OH as a nursing speciality, both within Defence and the wider nursing community.