COVID: Military Medics Deployed In 'Patient-Facing' Roles In English Hospitals

Defence medics have been sent into hospitals to work alongside NHS staff on the coronavirus frontline.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has deployed "hundreds" of personnel to hospitals across England, with medics taking on "patient-facing roles", under the supervision of healthcare professionals.

The NHS requested support as the country continues to battle multiple strains of the coronavirus, with record numbers of daily deaths recorded in the last few days.

General duties personnel have also been deployed to help backfill non-patient-facing roles to free up NHS personnel for frontline duties.

An MOD spokesperson said: "Hundreds of defence medics and general duties personnel have deployed to support hospitals across England at the request of the NHS.

"Defence medics are working alongside dedicated NHS colleagues in patient-facing roles to provide high-quality care on the frontline of the fight against the virus.

"A number of additional Armed Forces personnel are supporting in non-patient-facing roles in hospitals.

"This is in addition to more than 450 personnel who are currently supporting the NHS with the vaccine rollout across England, Wales and Scotland and the 1,600 military medical professionals who work in the NHS on a daily basis."

Military medics are trained to deliver primary healthcare in defence medical centres and offer support on a variety of Armed Forces deployments.

Cover image: A Royal Navy medic prepares a coronavirus vaccine at a Bristol vaccination hub (Picture: Crown Copyright).