Doctors and nurses have been advised to reuse pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) ahead of expected shortages this weekend.

The Department of Health has published advice for all NHS workers in light of impending supply issues, which the government has blamed on enormous worldwide demand for items such as masks and gowns.

The document states that staff should consider the “reuse of personal protective equipment” where necessary, even if designated by the manufacturer as a single-use product.

It says the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) “recognise that some compromise in process is needed” to cope with shortages and ensure workers are still using some form of appropriate protection.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma acknowledged the concern during Downing Street’s daily coronavirus news briefing, saying there was a “global shortage” affecting supply within the NHS.

Word of expected problems this weekend were reported by The Guardian just moments before the conference, specifically regarding gowns.

But there had been little acknowledgement of the problem by Health Secretary Matt Hancock earlier in the day.

Appearing before parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee, Mr Hancock admitted that the reuse of protective equipment may be necessary – but said nothing of the advice that has now been issued to medics.

The health secretary said: “In some cases, the reuse of PPE is advised by clinicians, so again I come back to the point that this has to be a clinical decision.”

Regarding shortages that medics have already had to endure, he said: “Given that we have a global situation in which there is less PPE in the world than the world needs, obviously it’s going to be a huge pressure point.”

The new advice sent to NHS workers ahead of the weekend acknowledges that “these are exceptional circumstances and do not reflect HSE’s standard approach”.

It adds that “further work on validating methods to safely reprocess masks and fluid repellent gowns is underway and future updates will be circulated when available”.

Frontline NHS workers have complained of shortages throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, with some saying that they have even had to buy their own kit and others forced to use bin bags instead of gowns.

British firms not normally in the business of making medical equipment have been asked to help the cause, with the fashion retailer Burberry among those pitching in.

Upon the guidance becoming public knowledge, a Department of Health spokesperson said: “New clinical advice has been issued today to make sure that if there are shortages in one area, frontline staff know what PPE to wear instead to minimise risk.

“This has been reviewed by the HSE, and is in line with World Health Organisation and US Centers for Disease Control guidance on PPE use in exceptional circumstances.

“There is a 24 hour NHS-run helpline where NHS and social care workers can call to report shortages in supply and it is crucial the relevant guidance for protective equipment is followed closely.”

Source: Read Full Article