Supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) To Key Workers in Dudley.

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The Labour Group in Dudley is very concerned about the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our community health care workers across our Borough.

We are concerned for both carers in Nursing and Residential Care homes and we are also concerned for the informal carers across the Borough who provide a vital, caring role for family members and vulnerable neighbours.

These vital workers need regular and consistent supply of PPE and the Council need to assure the caring community that this will be provided.

To date the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is:

1. Not consistent with WHO guidance
2. The supply is not consistent and regular
3.There is no provision for informal carers, which is increasing the demand on our overstretched workforce
4. Putting the lives of these workers at risk

As recommended by WHO and Public Health England for the management of COVID-19, we believe that there should be an adequate and consistent supply of:

- Fluid repellent disposable gowns – EN13795
- Nitrile non-sterile gloves - EN 374
- Plastic aprons – category 1
- Eyewear and face protection - EN166
- FFP2 and FFP3 masks - EN 149
- IIR Surgical masks - EN14683

Carers in Dudley feel inadequately protected and vulnerable to infection; they cannot understand why the required PPE is not being supplied in the quantities needed. Anyone in Dudley caring for a relative or in a caring role should be able to access this vital equipment.

The Council has had to resort to a request for donations from local businesses for PPE. While any donations will be welcome, they might not provide the best standard our workers and volunteers deserve. Coupled with this some staff have resorted to making their own PPE.

Workers feel unable to carry out their job properly and protect themselves and their patients.

The most common form of transmission of the virus is through contact and we know the virus is carried on clothing; this is why this so important. We do not want to lose vital key workers in this pandemic!

Dudley Labour Group urges the Government to guarantee that all key workers get the PPE they need in order to protect themselves and their patients from COVID-19.