Coronavirus: Former Army Chief Warns Of 'Thinly Manned' Military Medical Services

The former Chief of General Staff says there could be a limited number of defence medics available to the health service, were the UK to require cross-over support during a coronavirus outbreak.

General the Lord Dannatt said there is "no longer a great pool" of military medical support for the NHS to draw on during the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: "Military medical services are, themselves, actually quite thinly manned. 

"In operational environments like Iraq and Afghanistan... in recent years, we've drawn very heavily on mobilising civilians in their reservist military roles.

"So there isn't a great pool of military medical support that the NHS can call on.

"The Armed Forces just aren't that big these days."

His comments came after the Prime Minister yesterday set out details of plans to deal with the virus - which could include asking the military to support the emergency services.

Hospitals have been told to assess more patients by video link as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

So far, 85 people have been diagnosed with the illness in the UK, but that number is expected to rise sharply in the coming weeks.

WATCH: Boris Johnson on potential military involvement in the UK's plan to tackle COVID-19.

In a statement to MPs, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "The situation facing the country is increasingly serious.

"Globally and at home the number of cases continues to rise."

Speaking on Tuesday about a 27-page plan to tackle COVID-19, Boris Johnson said the British Army is "ready to backfill" for the police "as and when" required, as part of "long-established plans" for worst-case scenarios.

However, Mr Johnson later stated the MOD and British military "will be going about their business in the normal way" in the meantime.

Professor Michael Clarke, former director of think tank the Royal United Services Institute, told Forces News "backing up the police is probably the most obvious thing that the military will do", if there was any defence involvement in a UK response. 

"If we start to have to rearrange public events, or create public events that will go ahead but with very strict hygiene procedures, then the police will be in the forefront of doing that," he added. 

"It may well be that the military will therefore take other, as it were, minor police roles to allow front line police to do that."

The Ministry of Defence has put plans in place to ensure key domestic and overseas operations can go ahead, amid the spread of COVID-19.

The virus is thought to have first emerged in China, and has taken more than 3,000 lives worldwide.

Military patrols on UK streets are not likely, according to Downing Street, though personnel could be called to cover police duties.

Cover image: MOD.