London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Soldiers arrive in Scotland to drive ambulances

Soldiers arrive in Scotland to drive ambulances

Soldiers will begin driving ambulances in parts of Scotland this weekend in a bid to alleviate pressure on the NHS.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said he expected the help, along with other measures, would produce a "significant improvement" in waiting times.

The Ministry of Defence said it was providing 114 personnel to carry out non-emergency driving work from Sunday and expects this to last two months.

An additional 111 personnel will help to run mobile Covid testing units.

The military support was announced following a request from the Scottish government.

It came amid warnings from health professionals and opposition politicians of a crisis within the Scottish Ambulance Service in recent weeks, with reports of some patients facing extremely long waits for help to arrive.

Further drivers will also be provided by the fire service, the British Red Cross and taxi firms.

During a visit to a training facility in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Mr Yousaf thanked the military and warned the health service was facing its toughest winter yet.

He added: "There's no silver bullet, we have to be upfront about that.

"I announced a range of actions, including asking for military assistance but, with that whole package put together, I would expect there to be a significant improvement.

"But I would be upfront with people too, this is going to be the most challenging winter I think the NHS has ever faced."

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has thanked the military for supporting the Scottish Ambulance Service

Col Anthony Phillips, deputy joint military commander in Scotland, said two thirds of his soldiers working with the ambulance service would be based in the Glasgow area, with the rest about Edinburgh.

Liaison officers and military planners will also be placed in the Scottish Ambulance Service's regional hubs, he added.

"This group of individuals from 68 Squadron from 7 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps have been doing this task in the east of England and north-east of England already," he said.

"So there's a good degree of experience of this pandemic in amongst this bunch now who are going to support the Scottish Ambulance Service."

Col Phillips said they planned to support the service for two months - until the end of November - but that could change, depending on conditions.


Many other parts of the NHS also remain under severe strain and on Friday non-urgent operations and procedures have been postponed at the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital due to pressures on beds and staff.

The latest figures show about 1,500 people are in hospital in Scotland who do not need to be there but can't leave as an appropriate social care package is not in place.

Mr Yousaf has said the government is "working urgently" to free up bed space in the NHS and to move more people into social care.

Pauline Howie, chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said pressure has been "mounting for a few months" but the request for additional support was only made two weeks ago.

Ms Howie said: "As we've seen lockdown restrictions ease, we've seen demand start to rise.

"In the latest wave, unfortunately more of our staff have contracted Covid-19 again so we've lost some internal capability and that's been the case across all health and social care staff."


Col Anthony Phillips on the Army's role supporting the Scottish Ambulance Service


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×