More armed forces personnel are set to be drafted in to help the Welsh Ambulance Service, as the latest covid wave continues to wreak havoc on NHS staff levels.
Today, the service revealed that 346 frontline staff are currently absent due to covid.
This includes confirmed positive cases, and those currently in isolation due to exposure, and represents around 10 per cent of the front line workforce for the ambulance service in Wales.
A leading figure for the service today confirmed that they are experiencing “higher than normal” levels of staff sickness.
However, it was stressed that covid related illness within the ambulance service is mirroring that which has been seen in the community – which has seen a sharp rise since the emergence of the omicron variant of the potentially deadly virus.
And, as part of efforts to combat this, another 150 armed forces members are set to be drafted in from January until the end of March.
This will bring the total number of soldiers, sailors and aircrew involved in ambulance operations to 250, since being re-enlisted late last year.
Read more: Another 150 military personnel to join ambulance service
