More military assistance coming for Scottish health boards
3 Scottish health boards are expecting further UK military assistance to arrive in the coming days
Last updated 15th Dec 2021
80 military medics are to be deployed to three Scottish health boards to offer support.
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey says NHS Grampian, NHS Ayrshire & Arran and NHS Lanarkshire will receive the help.
These personnel will offer assistance in areas outside of vaccines.
We are told 63 members of personnel will be supporting NHS Lanarkshire in hospitals until the New Year, at which point that will reduce to 32.
48 members of the military will be split between the other two trusts.
But Mr Heappey admitted he is "very nervous" at the prospect of defence personnel being used "long term to buy out chronic failings" in the NHS in Scotland.
He told us:
"I'll be keeping a close eye on the length of time that people are driving ambulances
"Or the length of time medics are deployed into Scottish NHS trusts.
"Because I'm very nervous that Scotland has just received the biggest block grant that it has received since devolution.
"I would want to see that money being spent to make sure that Scottish NHS is properly resourced
"Rather than defence personnel having to do things long term to buy out chronic failures."
We've asked the Scottish Government for a response, and contacted the health boards for comment.