1/13 There is understandably a lot of concern around access to Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for frontline staff. We are in real time dialogue with our member trust CEOs so I thought it might be helpful to set out what they have told us over the last 24 hours on this issue.
2/13 @NHSProviders has a national focus. We can aggregate the view of our 223 member trust CEOs and combine that with the dialogue we are having, on our members' behalf, with the @NHSEngland team managing PPE distribution...
3/13 Our trust CEOs tell us that nothing is more important to them than their staff having access to the right PPE at the right time. They also recognise that giving everyone at the frontline confidence they’ll have the right equipment when they need it is also vital...
4/13 Trust CEOs and @NHSProviders have been assured by national NHS leaders that there are currently sufficient stocks of PPE and that the NHS is now accessing both Brexit and national emergency stockpiles. The issue has been the lack of consistent and timely distribution…
5/13 The central NHS team say that the challenge has been moving from a distribution system configured to delivering stable amounts of PPE, "just in time", in a predictable pattern, to a position where every trust now needs unprecedented amounts of PPE with immediate delivery...
6/13 @NHSEngland central team tells us that it has now completely restructured national PPE logistics infrastructure with help of national logistics companies & @DefenceHQ. They say that it will take more time for this new infrastructure to completely bed in......
7/13 But, over last 24 hours, noticeably more members telling us that the equipment deliveries they need now arriving. Some still saying distribution taking longer than ideal but new emergency number for problems helpfully now working effectively in way it wasn't a few days ago..
8/13 There have been particular concerns in mental health, community and ambulance trusts who, in the rush to prioritise acute hospitals, seemed to get somewhat left behind. But, again, those concerns appear to be lower over the last 24 hours....
9/13 Trust CEOs report that there are still some complications. For example, some report that they are getting deliveries of different brands of masks than they are used to and this requires each relevant clinician to do a time consuming new mask fit test.....
10/13 ...And some stock has been relabelled with a later use by / expiration date. We are assured by national leaders that this stock is definitely fit for use and has been robustly tested. But understandable why, without this explanation, PPE users might initially be concerned…
11/13 There’s also concern about current @PHE_uk guidance on what PPE should be worn when. Trust CEOs tell us they’re being asked by frontline staff about the reasons for the recent change in guidance and how it relates to WHO / other countries’ guidance…
12/13 Trust CEOs want to understand this better to assess risk and
explain to colleagues. We have therefore suggested to national
leaders that they issue a clear statement on why guidance changed, why it’s adequate & explain reasons for any differences to other guidance…
explain to colleagues. We have therefore suggested to national
leaders that they issue a clear statement on why guidance changed, why it’s adequate & explain reasons for any differences to other guidance…
13/13 In summary, vital to get right flow of appropriate PPE to the NHS frontline; latest trust feedback from last 12 hours suggests a considerable increase in distribution, and better communication to get this right; but need this rapid improvement trajectory to continue.
