Trauma medicine
studies to further improve outcomes. Her work also helped establish a gold-
standard major haemorrhage resuscitation programme, ensuring consistent, high-quality care for all trauma patients.
A call she never expected Despite her many achievements, the moment Dr. Hawes learned she was to receive an OBE for services to healthcare came as a complete surprise: “I was actually on maternity leave at the time,” she recalled. “On Boxing Day, I had a missed phone call
from a Brigadier. I was told it was urgent that I rang him back.”
Her first thought was that she was about
to be deployed - a confusing prospect while still officially on maternity leave: “I remember thinking, why would I be deploying now?” The reality, however, was very different.
The call was to inform her that she was to be awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her work translating military trauma care into civilian healthcare and saving lives. “It was a huge honour - and one I never
expected,” she said. Dr. Hawes received her OBE from Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2018, describing the occasion as an immensely proud moment for both her and her family: “It was incredibly special. Something I’ll always remember.”
Balancing three careers - and family life Running parallel careers in the NHS, the Army Reserve and air ambulance medicine is no small feat - and Dr. Hawes is candid about the challenge: “I’ve been very lucky. My Clinical Director has always supported my Army Reserve commitments, including the two-week annual training camp. The skills from each role are mutually beneficial, and both I and the Trust
‘The principles we use in military and prehospital medicine are highly transferable to perioperative teams.’ Dr. Rachel Hawes OBE
have gained enormously.” Away from work, she is also a mum to an eight-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son, and firmly believes in the importance of switching off. “I do pilates, meet a friend for a coffee when I can, and I play badminton,” she smiles. “Those small moments really matter.” Her advice on coping with the emotional weight of trauma care is refreshingly honest: “It’s normal to feel sad when something sad happens. It doesn’t mean your mental health is failing - it means you’re human. “What’s important is processing it, talking about it, and supporting each other.”
Collaboration with AfPP On 5 March 2026, Dr. Hawes brought her
experiences to London as a keynote speaker at the AfPP Emergencies and Trauma Symposium, held at The Royal Society of Medicine. The one-day event united UK trauma teams and empowered perioperative professionals with clinical insight, practical strategies and resilience tools for emergency care. Dr. Hawes’ session, titled: ‘UK Prehospital
Trauma Care - Integrating lessons from conflict’, drew directly on her experience as an Army Reservist and explored clinical advances, as well as the human factors that underpin effective emergency care. “High-pressure environments demand excellent teamwork, communication and leadership,” she explains. “The principles we use in military and prehospital medicine are highly transferable to perioperative teams.” Her session covered:
l Key lessons from military and prehospital emergency medicine.
l Outcomes and impact of the Blood on Board initiative.
l Human factors strategies to improve teamwork, decision-making and safety under pressure.
CSJ
For details of future events, visit the AfPP’s website at:
https://www.afpp.org.uk/events/
For more information on the Blood on Board initiative, visit:
https://www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk/ our-work/how-we-do-it/leading-innovation/ blood-on-board/
April 2026 I
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