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Let me tell you story about why I’m so very angry about this 
/THREAD
| PPE suppliers with political ties given 'high-priority' status, report reveals | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/18/ppe-suppliers-with-political-ties-given-high-priority-status-report-reveals
/THREAD | PPE suppliers with political ties given 'high-priority' status, report reveals | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/18/ppe-suppliers-with-political-ties-given-high-priority-status-report-reveals
In early March 2020 it was very quickly apparent the NHS was not “ready” for COVID, and in fact we ran out of the correct PPE nearly instantly in many areas.
Many of us were saying so publicly.
https://www.channel4.com/news/its-gone-rapidly-from-everybody-being-almost-sceptical-this-could-even-happen-to-suddenly-it-happening-straight-away-dr-dominic-pimenta /2
Many of us were saying so publicly.
https://www.channel4.com/news/its-gone-rapidly-from-everybody-being-almost-sceptical-this-could-even-happen-to-suddenly-it-happening-straight-away-dr-dominic-pimenta /2
That same week (March 18th) I was contacted by an anaesthetist colleague in procurement that had sourced 30m FFP3 masks a month from a biotech contact in China. Only problem was the NHS wasn’t buying. /3
Due to complex procurement law there was some perceived impediment to buying outside normal chains.
We immediately sought legal advice and found the EU law being referred to had already been suspended for the pandemic. /4
We immediately sought legal advice and found the EU law being referred to had already been suspended for the pandemic. /4
My colleague trying to sort out PPE procurement on her day off from ICU was the inspiration to start our charity, @theHWF with the intention of making or finding as much PPE as possible, as well as supporting healthcare workers across all needs.
http://Healthcareworkersfoundation.org /5
http://Healthcareworkersfoundation.org /5
We raised >£1m in the first wave, sourced PPE from industry, made 100,000s of 3D printed visors and hand-sewn scrubs, even had help from Rolls Royce. But we could never hope to produce the numbers that were needed. /6
We estimated 1 patient in 1 ICU needed 30-40 sets of PPE, EVERY DAY.
We needed millions of sets of PPE a month. A charity, however large, could never hope to achieve that. /7
We needed millions of sets of PPE a month. A charity, however large, could never hope to achieve that. /7
So that’s why we focussed on making reusable PPE, and kept pushing with trying to get govt to follow up our leads on large PPE sources.
We got in touch with the Cabinet office and agreed to send them our large scale (million+) sources that came to us. /8
We got in touch with the Cabinet office and agreed to send them our large scale (million+) sources that came to us. /8
Emails flowed back and forth, it all seemed very hopeful, but then nothing.
By the time the government started looking abroad again, supply chains had been bought up at the factory level as other countries, like the US, joined the global bun fight. /9
By the time the government started looking abroad again, supply chains had been bought up at the factory level as other countries, like the US, joined the global bun fight. /9
All that wasted time now seems to have been spent on “VIPs” with little or no experience or stock, instead of the actual suppliers.
We had to field desperate calls for PPE daily, and it was harrowing. E.g As @doctor_oxford wrote about, hospices on the verge of closure. /10
We had to field desperate calls for PPE daily, and it was harrowing. E.g As @doctor_oxford wrote about, hospices on the verge of closure. /10
@thehwf ploughed on, and supported @Oxford_Inspired to get these approved in the U.K.: a #mask4life with a 75p filter that can be used for a month at a time. Permanent protection for my colleagues: going out THIS week.
You can donate to the project here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/new-development-of-reusable-ppe-for-nhs-staff
You can donate to the project here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/new-development-of-reusable-ppe-for-nhs-staff
COVID is airborne. Nearly 1000 U.K. healthcare workers have died as a consequence of inadequate PPE, one of the worst rates in the entire world.
@thehwf is supporting their families, with legal, financial, respite, counselling & educational support. https://healthcareworkersfoundation.org/family-christmas/
@thehwf is supporting their families, with legal, financial, respite, counselling & educational support. https://healthcareworkersfoundation.org/family-christmas/
So I cannot stomach this, when govt was unprepared, downgraded PPE req. and was corrupt & too slow in getting more.
THEN denied there was ever an issue, when so many died.
That’s why I’m so angry & thankful for @GoodLawProject and @EveryDoctorUK for bringing this case. /end
THEN denied there was ever an issue, when so many died.
That’s why I’m so angry & thankful for @GoodLawProject and @EveryDoctorUK for bringing this case. /end
You can support all of @thehwf projects, from PPE to counselling to safer surgery to welfare rooms and the Families Programme here: https://healthcareworkersfoundation.org/donate
Found this old video from March trying to “cook” old PPE to decontaminate.
Still a good idea IMO. #PPE
Still a good idea IMO. #PPE
