‘UK medic’ who claims to be a highly decorated Army doctor says she has carried out treatment on children and sewn up soldiers in Ukraine — but some say she is a total fantasist
- Serious concerns have been raised about the truth behind her qualifications
- Ministry of Defence says no one with those names and DOB served with army
Posing proudly with her medals, Jo England appears to be one of the most highly decorated combat doctors to have served in the British Army.
She says she served with the Royal Army Medical Corps, and was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal on a tour of Afghanistan.
Over more than a decade, her charity work has taken her to remote corners of Africa and the Ukrainian front line. There, she claims she has treated children and performed crucial surgery.
But last night serious concerns were raised about the truth of her qualifications amid allegations that Ms England – who also goes by the name Joanne Bruce – is a fantasist.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that nobody with those names and her date of birth had ever served with the British Army.
Posing proudly with her medals, Jo England (pictured) appears to be one of the most highly decorated combat doctors to have served in the British Army. Last night serious concerns were raised about the truth of her qualifications
Ms England also claimed to be a surgeon at Barts NHS Trust in London. But the trust, which includes St Bart’s Hospital, confirmed it did not employ a doctor with either name.
She provided a General Medical Council (GMC) number that belongs to a Joanna Bruce, but she is practising in Australia, and other personal details do not marry up. The GMC said no doctor with the name Jo England is registered.
Last night, Ms England maintained that she has served in the Army and is a qualified doctor, although she said this was under yet another name. Despite requests, she has not provided this name.
Ms England was in Ukraine last week – verified by other sources – and has visited the front line multiple times. While there, she has worn a major’s uniform and asked people to address her as Ma’am.
READ MORE: PETER HITCHENS: Why are the SAS in Ukraine – and do we have a clue why we’re involved in this war?
In messages seen by The Mail on Sunday, Ms England discusses sewing up wounded soldiers in Ukraine and says her stitching isn’t ‘pretty’ but would ‘give folk a fighting chance’. She has also provided advice on equipment needed on the front line ‘from a surgical point of view’. A friend of Ms England’s husband, who has also known her for more than two years, said he has questioned her military service when she attended a Remembrance Sunday service wearing medals incorrectly. ‘It’s difficult to believe a word that she says,’ he added.
Evidence suggests she has travelled to Africa since 2011 while claiming to be a doctor. She allegedly claims to have carried out treatment on children and surgical procedures around the world.
She has been pictured in a doctor’s uniform with a lanyard saying ‘Dr Jo’, and registered ‘medical practice activities’ firm Medic Aid Associates, listing her job as a doctor.
Doubts were first made by an Armed Forces veterans’ group which exposes fake war heroes. Photographs also show Ms England wearing a red beret and medals. Ms England claimed to have been awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for bravery during a tour of Afghanistan. But when questioned, she said she had been wearing the medal ‘for a laugh’ and had borrowed it from a friend.
She maintained that she is a qualified doctor, studying at Trinity College Dublin. The university said it could find no record of Jo England or Jo Bruce with her date of birth having studied at its medical department. Ms England said she served with the Royal Army Medical Corps between 2003 and 2009 as a trauma doctor.
When informed that the MoD, St Bart’s and the GMC could find no record of her, she did not respond to further questions.
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