Military assistance request approved for struggling health boards

Requests for military assistance at three Scottish health boards to help manage growing pressures caused by the Omicron variant have been approved.

Service personnel will provide support to NHS Ayrshire, NHS Grampian and NHS Lanarkshire.

Inductions will begin at the boards in January after the MACA (Military Assistance for Civilian Authorities) was approved by the Scottish Government.

In total, there will be 20 service personnel at NHS Ayrshire & Arran for six weeks, 38 service personnel at NHS Grampian for four weeks, and 32 service personnel at NHS Lanarkshire for four weeks.

Health secretary Humza Yousaf expressed his gratitude to military personnel for their efforts.

“”The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is adding to the winter pressures usually faced by the NHS which is why boards, like their counterparts across the UK, have requested military support to complement our existing resources,” he said.

“I’m grateful to military personnel for their efforts at this time, along with all frontline staff in our NHS for the vital role they play in help keeping us safe.

“At this time it is also particularly important that we continue to take all precautions to prevent transmission.

“So test regularly for the virus, limit socialising in the run up to Christmas, wear face marks where required and open windows to improve ventilation.”