Clare S. Walton

Air Marshal Clare Samantha Walton, (born 20 November 1964) is a British retired senior Royal Air Force officer and physician. From July 2023 to July 2026, she served as Director General Defence Medical Services, later restyled as Chief of Defence Medical.

Early life Walton was born on 20 November 1964 in Stockport, Cheshire, England. She was educated at Westcliff High School for Girls, a grammar school in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. She studied medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree and then Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB BS) degrees in 1989. she was being sponsored through her degree by a University Cadetship with the RAF. After training at Royal Air Force College Cranwell, she was promoted to squadron leader on 1 August 1990. She transferred from a short service commission to a permanent commission on 24 April 1992. She has served a number of posting abroad, the first of which was with the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. From 2006 to 2008, she was senior medical officer at RAF Leeming. She was deputy head of the RAF Medical Services from 2014 to 2016, She was then Commander of the Defence Medical Group from 2018 to 2020.

From February 2020, she was Director Defence Medical Personnel & Training, based at Defence Medical Services Whittington. In October 2022 it was announced that Walton would succeed as Director General of the Defence Medical Services from July 2023. She was promoted to Air Marshal and took up the position on 3 July 2023. In May 2026, the appointment was restyled from Director General Defence Medical Services to Chief of Defence Medical. She stepped down in July 2026 upon her retirement and was succeed as Chief of Defence Medical by Phil Carter in an interim capacity.

Personal life In 2003, Walton married Mark Hopkins. Through this marriage, she has two step children. In 2025, she was appointed Commander to the Venerable Order of St John (CStJ).

In 2024, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Health Sciences degree by Anglia Ruskin University.