NHS Staff ‘Thrown to the Wolves’ as Protective Gear Runs Low
U.K. Doctors ‘Thrown to the Wolves’ as Protective Gear Runs Low
(Bloomberg) --
The U.K. risks running out of protective equipment for its hospital staff as half the doctors working in high-risk areas reported supply shortages in a survey by the British Medical Association.
Long-sleeved disposable gowns and goggles are in low supply for National Health Service staff working at some of the most at-risk hospitals in the U.K., a report by the association said. In a survey of 6,000 respondents, two-thirds said they faced shortages or no eye protection at all, and nearly half said they felt pressure often or sometimes to work without adequate protection.
Doctors told the association that they were being “thrown to the wolves” and should not be forced to choose between continuing working or keeping themselves and their families safe. The snapshot survey comes after reports that several NHS staff have lost their lives to the virus.
“Two months into the Covid-19 crisis in Britain, we shouldn’t still be hearing that doctors feel unprotected when they go to work,” BMA Council Chair Chaand Nagpaul said in a statement Saturday. “We renew our call for the government to work with manufacturers to ramp up domestic supply. Too many doctors and health-care staff have already lost their lives. We cannot afford to risk losing any more.”
The U.K. reported 888 new coronavirus deaths on Saturday, taking the total to more than 15,000. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.K. has exceeded 114,000. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration has faced a barrage of criticism over its response to the pandemic, including questions on a delay in the lockdown, the lack of widespread testing and on insufficient protective equipment for health-care professionals. This week the Department for Health advised NHS staff to reuse protective equipment if necessary and wear aprons if gowns run out.
The U.K. government announced Saturday that a large consignment of protective equipment is arriving from Turkey on Sunday, including 400,000 gowns for NHS staff. But Sky News reported Sunday that this consignment had been delayed. The government didn’t immediately respond to a request for confirmation.
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said Sunday that gowns were an area of particular shortage. His colleague Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told a press conference the previous day that there was a sufficient supply of ventilators and face masks.
“We’ve got to do more to get PPE to the front lines. It’s an extremely challenging situation with massive global demand for equipment,” Jenrick said, adding that the government is doing everything it can to get the equipment that’s needed.
The U.K.’s largest trade union, which represents health-care workers, warned that NHS staff could quit if the situation doesn’t change.
“Managers must be truly honest with health workers and their union reps over the weekend,” Unison’s head of health Sara Gorton said. “If gowns run out, staff in high risk areas may well decide that it’s no longer safe for them to work.”
Labor union Unite on Saturday called the lack of PPE a “national scandal” and said Health Secretary Matt Hancock may have to “consider his position” if more isn’t done.
“Unite has already advised its 100,000 members that reluctantly NHS and social care staff could legitimately and lawfully decline to put themselves in further danger and risk of injury at work,” Assistant General Secretary Gail Cartmail said in a statement.
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