Colonel Doug Bowley

Educated at St Thomas’ Hospital Medical School, Doug began his career as a medical officer with the Parachute Regiment before undertaking surgical training in the UK, gaining additional trauma and paediatric surgery experience in Johannesburg. He went on to serve as a consultant surgeon with the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, based at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, combining military service with work at the NHS coalface. His career is defined by service in challenging environments, with multiple overseas deployments as a military surgeon and other contributions such as the mission to combat the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in 2014 and supporting United Nations operations in Mali. Doug was appointed Honorary Surgeon to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II from 2019 until 2022 and was awarded the OBE in 2021 for medical leadership on deployed operations. Now retired from operating, Doug continues to try to shape healthcare as Medical Director for Women’s & Children’s Services at University Hospitals Birmingham. In this role, he brings surgical and leadership experience to collective efforts focused on strengthening maternity and paediatric care. With national attention on improving outcomes for mothers, babies, and families, he is committed to supporting safer, more compassionate and equitable services.