The military will be drafted in to hospitals in Lanarkshire and the Borders to relieve pressure ahead of the winter.

A total of 86 personnel will be deployed – 63 to NHS Lanarkshire and 23 to NHS Borders – ranging from nurses, medics, general troops and drivers.

Support personnel will be from the navy but the medically qualified staff will be from the Army.

All will be working in areas like accident and emergency.

It follows a request for assistance from the Scottish government.

The British Medical Association (Scotland) has called on politicians to “be honest” about what the NHS can deliver now and over winter.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the health service was experiencing “significant pressure” because of Covid admissions and a backlog in care built up over the course of the pandemic.