The Ministry of Defence will provide 40 medics and 160 general duty personnel to hospitals across the capital to help with the ongoing staff shortage.
The deployment is expected to last for three weeks and will be composed of forty teams each composed of a medic and 4 general duty personnel, who will be “distributed flexibly” amongst London NHS hospitals.
The medics will assist NHS staff to care for patients, while the general personnel will help with logistics and basic checks.
32 military co-responders will also be sent to help the South Central Ambulance Service until march.
More than 1,000 military personnel are already deployed across the UK and devolved nations to help with the response to COVID-19, with an additional 1000 being made available to support the booster program.
Regional Chief Nurse for the NHS in London, Jane Clegg, said of the deployment:
“We are thankful for the support of the Armed Forces alongside thousands of NHS staff, as they respond to the increased demands brought by Covid – ensuring continued high quality care and treatment for the many Londoners being looked after by the NHS this winter.”
News of the deployment comes alongside NHS England announcing rising COVID related staff absences, with 39,142 staff absent for covid related reasons on the 2nd of January, up 59% compared to last week, and up 313% compared to the beginning of December.
