Doctor reveals he wears 'stapled together' mask and colleagues 'have bought PPE from Screwfix'
18 April 2020, 10:31
"Medical staff are getting equipment from screwfix"
A doctor today revealed that he had resorted to wearing a home made visor that was “stapled together” and said colleagues had been going to DIY firm Screwfix to get their PPE equipment.
The doctor, who gave his name only as Mohammed, told Andrew Castle on LBC that he had seen people going to the shops who had better personal protection equipment than him.
Cancer doctor Mohammed said he spent a lot of time among covid-19 patients and that he feared passing the deadly virus on to his family when he returned home.
He said after every shift, he gets undressed from his work clothes outside his front door, putting his soiled garments aside before going straight for a shower.
"I worry for my mum,” he said.
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"I've thought about moving out. I don't want to bring the virus home to my mother.
He spoke out as it emerged that doctors and nurses are facing running out of proper PPE within hours in some areas of the NHS.
"I worry for my mum" Mohammed said. He claimed that he goes through excessive measures each day when he comes home to avoid infecting his mother, but feels as though he should go further to stop the possibility.
"I've thought about moving out" he revealed, pointing out intentions to move into a hotel near his hospital for the duration of the pandemic. "I don't want to bring the virus home to my mother" he insisted.
Chris Hopson, chairman of NHS Providers, said some trusts will run out of supplies in the next 24-48 hours because we have "reached the point where national stock of fully fluid repellent gowns and coveralls (is) exhausted".
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BMA council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: "Two months into the Covid-19 crisis in Britain, we shouldn't still be hearing that doctors feel unprotected when they go to work.
"The Government says that one billion items will soon have been shipped, and while there have been signs of improvement, our research clearly shows that equipment is not reaching all doctors working on the front line."
He added: "Just yesterday the Health and Social Care Secretary said he could not guarantee that hospitals would not run out this weekend.
"Meanwhile, the BMA has been inundated with approaches from companies offering to do their bit to supply the NHS.
"This is a truly sorry state of affairs and we renew our call for the Government to work with manufacturers to ramp up domestic supply."
