We’re halfway through our High Court trial against the government. We brought these cases because of frightening stories from our members on the frontline 💙Like this, from one of our GP members...
[1] In April 2020, we did not have enough PPE in urgent care. We had no visors & only a limited number of surgical masks. At that time, it wasn’t mandatory for patients entering a hospital to wear a mask and my employer sent an email stating we *were not* allowed to give masks...
[2] to patients because then there wouldn’t be enough for clinicians. Covid was massively on the rise at that time. ⅔ of our patients were ‘suspected covid’ and all of my appointments were face to face.
[3] One shift, a patient with a cough, accidentally coughed in my face while I listened to his chest. He wasn’t wearing a mask. I was acutely aware of how unsafe this was and the risk it posed not only to myself and my family, but to my other patients.
[4] If I contracted COVID-19, I could pass it on to dozens of other patients before I developed obvious symptoms myself - by which time it would be too late for all the patients I’d already been in contact with.
[5] I bought a pair of plastic DIY goggles & a pack of surgical masks off eBay. It was the last pack they had.
I spent hours ringing round companies I’d heard were manufacturing visors, and in the end managed to secure 200 from a printing company a couple of counties away.
I spent hours ringing round companies I’d heard were manufacturing visors, and in the end managed to secure 200 from a printing company a couple of counties away.
[6] They made them for free & delivered them to my home address so I could take them to work and give them out to clinicians. I cannot thank 3D Print Works, Aylesbury, enough for their generosity and willingness to help the NHS at that time. This meant that we had visors at last.
[7] Deliveries of masks & PPE gradually began to trickle in, but it was in short supply for weeks while I saw dozens of patients with suspected COVID-19.
At the same time, we saw images of the awful situation in northern Italy, with doctors wearing full PPE & long-sleeved gowns.
At the same time, we saw images of the awful situation in northern Italy, with doctors wearing full PPE & long-sleeved gowns.
Over 880 health and social care workers have died of COVID-19. Stories like this help you realise why - and who's to blame. We brought these cases because justice matters. Accountability matters.
And because next time, we must be better prepared.
actionnetwork.org/petitions/what…
And because next time, we must be better prepared.
actionnetwork.org/petitions/what…
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