• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Doctors washing and reusing protective equipment as stocks run out

The Government has said millions of pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been delivered to the front line.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2020-04-15 10:41
in News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Doctors are being forced to wash personal protective equipment (PPE) to reuse it and are dipping their hands in a bucket of steriliser because hand gel has run out.

Comments gathered by the British Medical Association (BMA) and shared with the PA news agency show how, as recently as Monday, medics were being forced to work without adequate PPE, with some turning to bin liners instead.

Some doctors have been told by their NHS trusts to reuse gowns and some have donated their share of PPE to nurses and healthcare assistants due to shortages.

No eye protection for the last three weeks

On Monday, an obstetrics and gynaecology trainee in the South East said there has been no eye protection for the last three weeks and there were no facilities to clean footwear.

“Surgical masks are not fluid resistant,” they said. “There are no reinforced gowns for high volume procedures (e.g. C-section).

“PPE equipment is in short supply – and often locked away. We have bought more than £4,000 worth of PPE over the last four weeks as a group of trainees.”

On the same day, an anaesthetics trainee in Scotland said: “We’re having to wash our visors in disinfectant because we don’t have enough.

RelatedPosts

Warning for Brit tourists: Spanish beaches introduce NEW smoking fines

No airport chaos for him! PM flew back from family trip to Cornwall on ministerial jet

Woman allegedly raped by 14-year-old boy – in popular Manchester club

‘Tax all childless adults!’ – UK expert’s unhinged proposals spark backlash

“We also ran out of hand gel briefly and were provided with a bucket of steriliser to dip our hands in.”

A core medicine trainee in the East of England said: “Trust is now asking us reuse single-use gowns not only between patients but also when we leave and return from breaks.”

Ration supplies

A foundation year doctor on a Covid-19 ward for the elderly in the North West said on Monday: “After the death of two of our nursing colleagues, the trust, on the same day, announced that gowns would no longer be amply provided, and we had to ration the remaining supplies amongst our staff, on our ward.

“We decided to let our nurses and healthcare assistants have priority with the gowns, as they have more patient contact-time. As the gowns completely ran out, some staff used bin bags instead.”

Meanwhile, an A&E doctor in the East of England said there were no gowns or scrubs on their most recent shift.

A GP from Berkshire said: “Unable to get basic PPE apart from aprons and gloves. Some surgical masks, no eye protection. We managed to buy 50 visors before the rush, and had six pairs of safety glasses left from the swine flu epidemic, which the nurses are using as they have closest contact with patients. They wash and reuse these after each session.

“Our local amateur dramatics group is making us scrubs for use in the ‘hot hub’ where we are seeing likely Covid patients to assess if they need hospital admission.”

Care minister Helen Whateley said on Wednesday that there has been a “global scramble for PPE” and distributing it to care providers and GPs has been a “massive logistical effort”.

She added: “It is a precious resource … we have to make sure it is used when you need it to either protect a member of the workforce or protect a patient, because people have been crying out wanting to use PPE all the time for everything and actually that is not the best way.”

“Reduced ability to re-supply” PPE

The comments come after a leaked Public Health England (PHE) document, seen by the BBC, shows national planning to reuse protective masks and gowns amid a “reduced ability to re-supply” PPE.

It is understood that the chief medical officers and chief nurses of the four UK nations recently discussed the issue.

For the meeting, a draft document written by PHE and dated April 13 suggested solutions for “acute supply shortages” of PPE.

“These are last-resort alternatives, but, given the current in-country stock and the reduced ability to re-supply, we are suggesting that these are implemented until confirmation of adequate re-supply is in place”, it said.

The plans suggested a series of “last-resort arrangements”, including buying “building” or “sportswear” eye protection with extensions to cover the side of the eyes if there are no available goggles or face shields, and using washable laboratory coats and patient gowns where there are no available disposable gowns or coveralls.

It also suggests re-purposing face masks using various disinfection or sterilisation methods, including steam and UV disinfection.

The document said some of the measures would need to be reviewed and approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

US

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of vaporised hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate certain masks and respirators for use by staff.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA), said: “The Government must be honest about PPE supplies.

“If (Public Health England) is proposing the reuse of equipment, it needs to be demonstrably driven by science and the best evidence in keeping with international standards, rather than by availability, and with absolutely no compromise to the protection of healthcare workers.”

In a statement, Dr Susan Hopkins, Covid-19 incident director at PHE, said: “PPE is a precious resource and it is crucial that everyone in health and social care has access to the right protective equipment.

“All options are being considered to ensure this, including the safe reuse of items, but no decisions have been made.”

An HSE spokesman said: “In line with the Government’s PPE strategy, it is right that, where possible, strategies for optimising the supply of PPE should be explored.

“We are discussing with Public Health England ways in which pressure can be eased on the supply chain. This includes potentially reusing certain equipment where it is safe to do so.”

Related: Phone mast serving Nightingale hospital among latest attacks

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Aha! Alan Partridge filming a new series set to return to BBC One!

Labour calls for investigation of Sajid Javid’s tax affairs

Texas tragedy: Donald Trump says mass shootings “going on too long in our country”

Starmer: EHRC report is ‘a day of shame’ for Labour

Boris Johnson calls Corbyn a “chlorinated chicken” and a “great big girl’s blouse” as leaders clash

Stroking a cat or dog for just 10 minutes can significantly reduce stress

Brexit trade deal “isn’t far off a no deal” think tank warns

Soldiers embrace as Iraq and Syria re-open key border crossing

Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day – A case for change for incurable breast cancer

‘Cowardly’ Johnson ‘running scared’ from sleaze debate, says Starmer

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.