NHS Grampian is expecting military support to help deliver its Covid and flu vaccination programme from next week, a health board boss has said.
It is understood that this assistance is separate from the request that was made for military support in hospitals, which has now been received by the Ministry of Defence with a response expected “anytime shortly”.
From Monday, a team of 17 members of the armed forces are expected to begin supporting the vaccination efforts in the north-east.
Confirming the news, NHS Grampian Deputy Chief Executive Adam Coldwells reiterated the importance of people coming forward to receive their vaccine.
‘It’s important people come forward’
He told Northsound News: “We asked for some military help with the vaccine and the delivery of the vaccination programme, and we are expecting that to start next week.
“So that’s a really positive step to help with that, and again it’s really important that people do come forward and get the vaccination so that the level of disease can lower in the whole community.”
He also confirmed a request for assistance from the military in hospitals had been sent and received by the MoD, and the health board was “waiting to hear back from them just anytime shortly”.
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “We are delighted to have a total of 17 military colleagues supporting the vaccination programme over the coming weeks.
“The team will be split between Aberdeen City Vaccination Centre and Peterhead vaccination centre.
“This additional support will supplement our existing staff team and enable us to keep these vital programmes moving at pace.”
‘Around 80 beds used by Covid patients every day’
In a post on the NHS Grampian Facebook page yesterday, Mr Coldwells described the “incredible level of pressure” faced by the health board’s staff.
He wrote: “The reality of the situation is around 80 beds are being used by Covid-19 patients every day and to staff our hospitals daily becomes more difficult due to the increasing demand.
“Every day comes with the added challenge to add enough beds to allow us to treat cancer patients, trauma patients, Covid-19 patients and other unplanned emergencies.”
“There is an incredible effort to care for those who urgently need it.”
Mr Coldwells urged people to make sure they use the “right service at the right time” and to get vaccinated urgently if they have not done so already.
Help from charity
Yesterday, it was revealed that volunteers from the British Red Cross have been taking on non-clinical roles at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to ease pressure on hospital staff, who are continuing to tackle the pandemic and a severe backlog of patients from lockdown.
Text messages were sent out to people across the north-east, asking them to help out with “movement of patients to wards”, among other jobs.
The request for military support from NHS Grampian was discussed in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, when Nicola Sturgeon said it still had not been received by the MoD as it needed to be “refined”.