Military brought in to Bristol and Weston hospitals to ease coronavirus pressure

NHS hospitals across the South West are bringing in the military to help relieve the pressure on Covid frontlines.

Armed forces personnel will be deployed to the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) and Weston General Hospital to support NHS workers and treat patients.

It comes amid a warning from health bosses that Covid-19 cases in the South West are not expected to plateau for another few weeks.

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust confirmed the military has been brought in to support staff during the second wave of the pandemic.

“Many trusts around the country, including the wider South West, are welcoming military staff from today to provide support where it would be of most benefit, and this includes our Weston and Bristol sites,” the spokesperson said.

NHS England also confirmed the armed forces would be supporting hospitals.

In a statement a spokesperson said: "The NHS is grateful to the many military personnel working in hospitals in the South West, alongside doctors, nurses and others who have returned to the NHS front line as well as the tens of thousands of St John volunteers working across the country.

"The NHS has 50,000 more staff now working in the health service than a year ago all working round the clock to respond to unprecedented pressure on the NHS.”

Read more:

• Latest infection rates in the South West as coronavirus cases rise

• Man told police he drove 100 miles during lockdown to 'get a McDonald's'

• Wife of 'Mr Snuggles' speaks of heartbreak after 'soul mate' died with Covid-19