Covid: North West Ambulance Service to work with Army

North West Ambulance Service has faced mounting pressure during the pandemic

Soldiers will help an ambulance service cope with a surge in 999 call-outs and soaring staff absence during the Covid pandemic, it has been confirmed.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said the Army would treat non-urgent patients, meaning more vehicles on the road and faster response times.

Staff will pair up with the military to deal with minor cases, it added.

It comes after concerns patients were waiting too long due to mounting demand during the second wave of the pandemic.

NWAS declared a major incident as far back as November.

This latest move was first revealed by trade union Unison last week, but has now been confirmed by NWAS.

It is the first time the military has been called in to assist the region's ambulance service, except during strike action.

Last week, NWAS said it had raised what is known as its REAP level - which is used to describe how busy ambulance stations are - to the highest level, which means they are under "extreme pressure".

At the time, NWAS director of operations, Ged Blezard, said it was "due to the extremely high levels of activity in the North West region, the pressure on local hospitals and the trust operating while some of its workforce are isolating or shielding".

The service also declared a major incident due to a high level of 999 calls on 2 November last year, but this was stood down later the same day.

The Army has already been called in to assist other ambulance trusts across the country, including South East Coast Ambulance Service which covers Kent..