Coronavirus Kent: Medway Maritime Hospital PPE is not running out, say bosses
09:10, 22 April 2020
updated: 13:13, 22 April 2020
Hospital chiefs have dismissed there is a crisis over a lack of personal protection equipment (PPE) for staff on the frontline against coronavirus.
It comes as the government faces increasing pressure as many hospitals up and down the country run the risk of running out, senior national NHS figures warned this week.
But bosses at Medway Maritime Hospital insist there are "plenty of masks, gloves and other protective equipment" in stock with more supplies due to arrive "in the coming days".
Doctors and nurses working in the critical care wards at the hospital in Gillingham published posts on social media saying the hospital was running out of specialist "hazmat protective gowns".
This was denied by hospital executives who moved to reassure staff there is enough equipment on site and being delivered.
Dr David Sulch, medical director and director of infection prevention and control at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The health and safety of our staff is our primary concern and we are committed to ensuring that all staff have the appropriate equipment for the area they work in, and the risk they are exposed to.
"We do not currently have a shortage of PPE, but we are keeping supplies under constant review in this fast-changing situation.
"We have plenty of masks, gloves and other protective equipment which will provide reassurance to our clinical teams on the frontline.
"However as people may have seen in the media, there are concerns about the national availability of gowns.
"I am pleased to say that our current supplies are sufficient and we expect to receive more in the coming days."
Frontline staff had earlier issued an urgent plea for hazmat suits and called on companies in the area which could help them.
The suits give head-to-toe protection from the risk of infection as they deal with some of the most sick patients suffering with Covid-19.
A critical care nurse told the Messenger the hospital needs level three suits which are water resistant and have the same degree of protection as suits used for chemical spillages.
She said hospital bosses have been looking after frontline staff well in preparing and dealing with the pandemic.
Teams on the critical care wards are spending 11 hours a day in the suits – six hours in the first half of a shift, removing it to take a break then getting into a new one for the remaining five hours of their shift.
The suits can only be worn once because of the highly contagious patients being dealt with in the "dirty zones" of the hospital.
"Whenever you walk on to the ward you have to wear them – even for five or 10 minutes," the nurse explained. "We're going through box after box daily and they're not being used excessively."
The nurse said patient numbers at Medway had not "increased dramatically or decreased dramatically" in the past week as experts predict the UK reaches its peak adding there was "capacity for more" if needed.
"I've not seen a massive peak or influx. We're just trying to keep people away from the hospital as much as we can," the nurse said.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said at Tuesday's daily briefing at No 10 the government was working with 159 suppliers in the UK to make PPE for the NHS.
He also revealed the government had received 8,331 offers from companies and civil servants were assessing "every one".
Dr Sutch added: "Our procurement team is working closely with local suppliers, as well as our regional and national colleagues, to ensure our supply chain remains strong.
"We do not currently have a shortage of PPE, but we are keeping supplies under constant review in this fast-changing situation"
"We continue to manage our PPE through our existing supply channels, but are also extremely grateful for the many offers of support from our community."
Yesterday, we reported how a statement had been issued on behalf of 11 of Kent's Conservative MPs recognising the difficulties in some areas of the NHS in Kent in obtaining the right PPE.
The statement came after leading members of the Kent Local Medical Committee (LMC), which represents GPs working in Kent, wrote to MPs urging them to help surgeries.
Senior doctors in the county blasted the "shambolic situation" saying Kent GPs faced a harmful lack of personal protection equipment (PPE).
