U.K. Medics Told to Decide If Safe to Work Amid PPE Shortage
U.K. Medics Told to Decide If Safe to Work Amid PPE Shortage
(Bloomberg) -- U.K. health care workers lacking personal protective equipment have been told to decide for themselves whether it is safe to treat patients suffering from coronavirus amid widespread shortages of gowns, aprons and masks.
“People have to make their decisions based on whether they’re in a risky situation or not,” Angela McLean, the U.K. government’s deputy chief scientific adviser, said when asked whether doctors and nurses should be allowed to refuse to work if they don’t have the right protective gear. “It’s very difficult to give local advice in a local circumstance.”
The U.K. is struggling to acquire enough protective gear for its front-line staff amid a global surge in demand, prompting criticisms that is failing to protect them adequately. Last week, the government advised medics to reuse gowns, something the Royal College of Physicians warned would “cause consternation” among health care workers.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said the country distributed 12 million pieces of protective equipment yesterday, and today received 140,000 gowns from Myanmar.
The U.K. government is still waiting on a large consignment form Turkey that has been delayed, Sunak added. The Royal Air Force has been put on standby in an effort to speed up the delivery, a Downing Street spokesman said earlier on Monday.
“We are determined to do everything we can to support those NHS and social care workers on the front line,” Sunak said.
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