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Military Medical Rejections by Ethnicity

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I am writing to submit a Freedom of Information request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The Joint Service Publication (JSP) 950 serves as the guideline for medical entry requirements across all three branches of the UK Armed Forces. Given the diversity of the UK population and the varying predispositions of different ethnic groups to certain health conditions, I am seeking data to better understand how these guidelines impact applicants from different ethnic backgrounds.

Specifically, I request the following:
1. A breakdown of the number of applicants rejected under each specific medical standard outlined in the JSP 950.
2. The data should cover the last 10 years, from 2014 to 2024.
3. The breakdown should include a granular categorisation of ethnicity, consistent with standard UK surveys such as the Office for National Statistics classifications, for example:
• White: English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British
• Irish
• Gypsy or Irish Traveller
• Any other White background
• Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups: White and Black Caribbean, White and Black African, White and Asian, Any other Mixed/Multiple ethnic background
• Asian/Asian British: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Any other Asian background
• Black/African/Caribbean/Black British: African, Caribbean, Any other Black/African/Caribbean background
• Other ethnic group: Arab, Any other ethnic group
4. For each ethnicity and year, please provide:
• Total number of applicants
• Total number of rejections
• The specific medical standard (as per JSP 950) under which the rejection occurred
• Percentage of rejected applicants for each ethnicity as a proportion of all applicants from that ethnicity
5. Present the information in tabular format, with columns for:
• Year
• Ethnic Group
• Medical Standard (JSP 950 section)
• Total Applicants
• Total Rejected
• Percentage Rejected

This data will help assess whether the JSP 950’s one-size-fits-all approach to medical entry requirements aligns with the Ministry of Defence’s efforts to build a diverse and inclusive force. The insight may also assist in identifying whether any groups are disproportionately affected, thereby supporting future policy improvements
.
Yours faithfully,

John Falkner

SG SecFin-Sec Gp Mailbox (MULTIUSER), Ministry of Defence

2 Attachments

Dear John,

Please see the attached.

Regards,

Secretariat

Headquarters Defence Medical Services (HQ DMS)

HQ DMS Secretariat, HQ DMS, Coltman House, Defence Medical Services
Whittington, Lichfield, WS14 9PY

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