Army and Navy arrive to help hospital through 'another challenging period'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Armed forces personnel are beginning to be stationed at hospitals across Greater Manchester as non-urgent surgeries and appointments restart.

Hospital trusts across the region have been posting on social media showing members of the Army and the Navy training and working in wards.

Around 120 Army and Navy personnel are being deployed into hospitals to help manage the ongoing impacts brought by the Omicron wave of coronavirus.

This also coincides non-urgent surgeries and appointments restarting after pausing for a fortnight due to high levels of staff absences.

READ MORE:Good news as Greater Manchester's latest Covid data is released

Armed forces staff are intended to stabilise continuing staffing pressures and help in preparing sites for the restoration of elective hospital activity.

The Northern Care Alliance shared pictures of armed forces personnel being trained in hand washing, PPE and patient feeding, before starting at trusts such as Salford Royal and Oldham with Stockport NHS foundation trust's chief nurse, Nicola Firth, welcoming the arrival of Scots Guards personnel to the trust.

Yesterday (January 21) around 30 military personnel begun working at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

They are said to be helping A&E as well as other services in what is being described as 'another challenging period'.

A Tweet said: "Support has arrived today from The Royal Navy, HMS Duncan & the 1st Battalion Scots Guard from the Army.

"Around 30 personnel will be providing extra support for our staff and patients during another challenging period.

"They’ll be supporting A&E, Flow & Pharmacy services."

Mike Larsen, a HR business manager at the trust, welcomed their support.

He said: "Great to see the Royal Navy in and around Bolton NHS FT