Army medics are to be sent to Orkney to offer life-saving support to the NHS.
Doctors and nurses who normally serve with the military will be dispatched to the island to work at Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall.
As Scottish troops are brought home from Afghanistan, the move is seen as a key plank in their ongoing training.
The postings are designed to give the army personnel further experience of working in rural environments and to enhance their skills in autonomous decision making.
The arrival of the highly qualified medics are also seen as a major coup for NHS Orkney, given their vast experience handling acute situations.
It is understood that some of the medics will work in Accident & Emergency as a result.
NHS Orkney chief executive Cathie Cowan has been working with colleagues at the Ministry of Defence to offer the remote placements.
Ms Cowan said: “Orkney offers a unique experience to highly qualified nurses and doctors looking to develop their decision making skills working as autonomous practitioners.
“The scheme would be similar to the remote and rural fellowship educational placements we have for GPs.
“I am delighted discussions that began almost 10 months ago are now likely to come to fruition.”
Ms Cowan stressed that the move was not linked to well-documented staff shortages across the NHS in Scotland, with Orkney almost fully staffed.
She said she hopes to see the 12-month army placements begin later in the year.
It has not yet been confirmed how many army medics will take part.
Colonel David McArthur, military medical liaison officer to Scottish Government, said: “These types of partnership are vital to maintaining our operational preparedness and offer benefits for all concerned, civilian and military.”
John Ross Scott, chairman of the board at NHS Orkney, said he was “delighted” that Orkney had been part of an innovative project.
He added: “I hope and look forward to see this innovation being adopted in other remote and rural areas across Scotland.”