Unfortunately much of that article was bo**ocks - the reduction in manning is not as a result of sending crews to the 'Stan and our yellow helicopters aren't going there either.
The reduction in crews will mean that less people going through training will be sent SAR and in theory that swells the pool of ab initios to go to SH. The flip side is that with fewer SAR posts available, fewer SH pilots will get to come to SAR for a 'rest tour' (something that doesn't happen much anyway).
Fewer crews does mean less availability of 2nd standby (unless you want to cancel leave, courses, AT, liaison visits etc) and because the rearcrew are running at less than 4 radops or winchmen per flight, that has already been an issue.
The MoD didn't understand the rearcrew issues and their statement about not affecting 1st standby is at odds with what we were told - ie that they were happy to accept the risk of impacting 1st standby availability.
The problem is that whilst the MoD might be happy to 'accept' the risk there are Gp Capts, Wg Cdrs and Sqn Ldrs trying to meet KPIs imposed by MoD and end up having to be creative with solutions in order to protect the integrity of UK SAR cover. The inevitable result is a lowering of morale and more people leaving the SARF. This leaves even fewer people to do the job and the OOAs and so morale takes a further downswing. The training system can't replace those leaving quickly enough (especially since many of them are the experienced operators) and so dilution of skills and experience and a reduction in real capability is inevitable.
The RAF bought fast jets instead of helicopters and is run by fast jet pilots and navs who can only see Air Power in terms of pointy aircraft - one of the fundamental reasons we find ourselves in the state we are in.