The Defence Medical Services has awarded a £2.5 million contract to digital healthcare consultancy Avenue3 to develop a new system that will allow military clinicians to access medical records while deployed anywhere in the world.
The contract supports Project Mercury, a Deployed Clinical Record system designed for use by clinicians working with UK forces overseas, including in remote environments with limited or no internet connectivity. The system has been commissioned by Cyber & Specialist Operations Command and will be used across Defence Medical Services.
Access to records in austere environments
Project Mercury will allow clinicians to view, record and share medical information across multiple devices while on operations. A key feature is its use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, similar to contactless payments, enabling medical data to be transferred securely between devices even when offline.
The award marks the transition of Project Mercury from a proof-of-concept phase into full delivery. An initial live release is expected in spring 2026, with further development and wider rollout continuing through 2027.
Lt Col Michael Claydon, clinical lead for Project Mercury at the Defence Medical Services, said the system would improve the accuracy and continuity of care for personnel deployed overseas, regardless of location. He said close engagement with UK and NATO clinicians had shaped the design of the application.
Part of wider digital modernisation
The project aligns with the Defence Industrial Strategy 2025, which includes commitments to increase Ministry of Defence spending with small and medium-sized enterprises.
Avenue3 chief technology officer Alex McNair said the system had been designed around clinical need and open standards, with the aim of delivering resilient digital healthcare in operational settings.
Project Mercury is being overseen by the Programme Cortisone team in collaboration with Defence Digital, which is working to replace legacy healthcare IT systems with a modern, secure platform for Defence.
The delivery phase of the programme was formally launched at an event at the Green Howards Museum in North Yorkshire, highlighting the evolution of deployed military medicine from historical practice to modern digital systems.
