Covid: Army deployed to drive ambulances in Wales

Military medics have been drafted in by the Welsh Ambulance Service to help it deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 90 soldiers will be driving ambulances from Wednesday in a bid to ease pressure on the service as cases continue to rise.

It will be the second time they have helped during the pandemic.

The military has also helped the Welsh NHS by distributing PPE, building a temporary hospital in Cardiff and will help roll out the vaccine.

Welsh Ambulance Service chief executive Jason Killens said: "The extreme pressure on our ambulance service in the last couple of weeks has been well documented, and it's why we've taken the decision to re-enlist the military, who did a superb job of assisting us earlier in the year.

"Winter is our busiest period, and with the second wave of a global pandemic also to contend with, this is about bolstering our capacity as far we can and putting us in the best possible position to provide a safe service to the people of Wales.

"We're proud and grateful once again to be working alongside the military in the collective effort against Covid-19, and I know colleagues will extend the same warm welcome as they did the first time around."

Their support of the Welsh Ambulance Service forms part of the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (Maca) arrangement.

Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said the help was "welcome and reassuring".

He added: "The use of the Armed Forces to help with this vital work demonstrates the UK government's commitment to meet the needs of the whole of the United Kingdom as we continue to tackle the pandemic."

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, said: "The whole of the United Kingdom must pull together if we are to overcome coronavirus and get back to the way of life we know and value.

"Our Armed Forces will do this again in Wales by joining the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust for the second time this year."