NHS board's request for military assistance still not received by MoD

The third request from a Scottish health board for help from the armed forces has yet to be received by the Ministry of Defence.

NHS Grampian made the plea for help on October 19 after the British Army was called into help NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Borders.

Soldiers are also helping the Scottish Ambulance Service vehicles under a separate arrangement.

But despite pressures, the health board has had to “refine” its request in discussion with the Scottish Government.

On Tuesday Anas Sarwar, leader of Scottish Labour, said: “NHS Grampian has asked to Scottish Government for additional support and military assistance and over a week later the MoD has not received that request.”

Responding at Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon said: “It is often the MoD, rightly and understandably, that asks for these requests to be refined.

“It is important that we make use of military assistance where that is appropriate but that we don’t ask the military to do things that health boards should be doing themselves.”

An NHS Grampian spokesperson said: “We continue to refine our request for support, in discussion with both Scottish Government and the MoD.

“We remain optimistic that we will receive support from them, as appropriate, and are extremely grateful to the MoD for considering our request.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have been working with NHS Grampian to refine details of the request. We expect to complete this process imminently, at which point a formal submission will be made to the MOD.”