Dr Rinesh Parmar DAUK Chair speaks to Victoria Derbyshire about our after a night shift on ICU following PM Boris Johnson’s announcement 23rd March that the country is now on lock down.
Rinesh was asked about our #protectthefrontline campaign for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and testing of NHS staff. Rinesh advised that just yesterday doctors across the country have not received adequate PPE and that local guidance was veering away from WHO guidance due to a shortage, despite Matt Hancock and PHE assurances that the supply is “adequate”.
Nurses have resorted to using bin liners, Doctors have been going to screw fix to source their own mask. As well as a GP who has received just 4 masks. They are asking Matt Hancock how long will this last? There are serious concerns about how much PPE is getting to the front line.
Rinesh advises we remain hopeful that Matt Hancock assurances will past the acid test which is front line staff are in fact confirming they have adequate supplies. Rinesh advises he expects more colleagues to become unwell and that all we ask not to treated contempt and we have vital PPE so every single day as we go to work we can be as safe as we can so that we can carry on and serve our patients.
