The Ministry of Defence has still not received a request for military support from NHS Grampian more than a week after it was made, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying the appeal is being “refined”.
The health board asked for help from the military on October 18, as pressures relating to the pandemic and a backlog of patients waiting to be seen after lockdown continued to build.
The crisis resulted in queues of ambulances waiting outside hospitals, and long delays in response times for people who had called 999.
Nurses, medics, drivers and general troops from the military had already been deployed to support NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Borders.
Health boards ‘should not request what they don’t need’
Earlier today, BBC News reported that the request had still not been received by the MoD.
Responding to a question in the Scottish Parliament today, the first minister said: “On the issue of the request for military support by Grampian, that will be submitted when that request has been refined to an appropriate degree.
“It’s important that health boards do not request things that they don’t need, and make sure that those requests are properly framed. That work is ongoing.”
Douglas Lumsden, the Conservative MSP for the north-east region, said: “Health boards will only ask the armed forces for help as a last resort — it’s a sign of how badly it’s needed.
“So any delay by the SNP in getting assistance to the north-east is inexcusable. It must be answered to.
“Humza Yousaf can’t wait for a good photo opportunity to act.
“While the services are helping ease frontline pressures in Lanarkshire and the Borders, NHS Grampian has been left swinging in the wind.”
Explained: How hospital bed cuts and Covid pushed Scotland into a 999 crisis
A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian 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.”