Reassurance over PPE in Lincolnshire hospitals

Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman has praised  United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust for its transparency after admitting there was only about three days supply left of protective gowns.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust CEO Andrew Morgan has dismissed national claims staff are running out of PPE.United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust CEO Andrew Morgan has dismissed national claims staff are running out of PPE.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust CEO Andrew Morgan has dismissed national claims staff are running out of PPE.

Concern was raised nationally after the Guardian newspaper revealed on Friday that doctors and nurses had been asked to work without protective full-length coverings and to instead resort to aprons. Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick promised that 84 tonnes of PPE, including 400,000 much needed surgical gowns, would arrive from Turkey on Sunday.

But after that shipment was delayed without explanation, hospital chiefs’ frustrations boiled over. “Tens” of trusts are now at risk of running out of gowns over the next few days unless fresh supplies can be found, an NHS source told the Guardian.

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Junior doctor Bhasha Mukherjee, who hung up her Miss England Crown to join the frontline at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, has also expressed her concern about PPE at the hospital.

She saId: "There is a general feeling of we have no choice but to deal with the situation. A few conversations with my colleagues have left me very concerned; for example, the PPE situation, one of my colleagues was working in ICU and there was just not enough PPE. That’s definitely a big problem.”

A letter released by United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust chief executive Andrew Morgan sets out to dismiss these claims.

Mr Morgan states the Trust has 29 days supply left of gloves and 27 days of aprons.

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However, he says there is only three days supply left of gowns, five days left of FFP3 masks, six days supply of Eye Face Protection and two days left of Fluid Resistance Masks.

The letter notes a delivery of Fluid Resistance Masks is expected imminently but provides no updates on deliveries for any other pieces of PPE.

Mr Morgan said; "I have been concerned to hear members of our staff do not think we are putting their interests first or trying to keep them safe.

"To be clear, we do not have any immediate shortages of PPE within ULHT.

"Our stocks locally are at a good level.

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"Contingency plans are also being put in place in case of shortages in line with national guidance."

MP Matt Warman commented on sharing the letter that it was "very good to see this level of transparency and that there are sufficient supplies"

"A huge thanks to our local health and care workers," he said.

SKEGNESS HOSPITAL WATCH

Skegness Hospital Watch was contacted on Friday by Rob Stevens of the Food Bank at Manhattan Show Bar in Ingoldmells asking if 400 plastic aprons they had received could be of benefit locally.

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Vice-Chairman, Maurice Darnell, phoned Skegness Hospital who said they would be delighted to receive them, and within two hours he was outside their car park, warmly welcomed and thanked by waiting for staff for the donation.

Maurice says Hospital Watch is now looking at supplying them with visors, which will be funded by donations made by local residents and visitors during last year.

He went on to say that it would appear people acknowledge the excellent support this campaign group has given for over a decade to the hospital.

*See our special feature on the extraordinary efforts of an army of volunteers in making scrubs for NHS workers in this week's Skegness Standard. Out on Wednesday. #buyapaper