Request for additional military support in Scottish health boards approved

Three Scottish health boards have had their request for additional military personnel approved.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Grampian and NHS Lanarkshire will receive support from service personnel to help them manage the growing pressures of the Omicron variant.

They will begin inductions at the health boards in January.

Ayrshire & Arran will receive 20 service personnel for the span of six weeks.

NHS Grampian will welcome 38 personnel for four weeks.

And Lanarkshire will receive 32 personnel for a four week period.

Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: "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.

"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.”

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