'We’ve got enough protective equipment' says Kettering General Hospital

Protective equipment is needed for healthcare staff to ensure they do not contract the virus while caring for patients.

Kettering General Hospital has said it has got enough protective equipment for its staff caring for coronavirus patients.

Shortages of the equipment at doctors surgeries and hospitals have been well documented over recent weeks with the Government coming under fire for not adequately protecting the country’s healthcare workers.

Across the country at least three NHS doctors, two nurses and one midwife have died already after contracting coronavirus.

Guidance on how to keep safe during the global pandemic which has put the UK into lockdown.

However Kettering General Hospital has said the current situation is that it has enough stock of PPE equipment and it is also exploring private sector options to bolster its supplies.

In its board papers from March 31 the hospital had identified risks including not being able to properly fit the protective masks due to a national shortage of solution and also not having any stock of protective hoods.

But the hospital’s chief operating officer, Jo Fawcus, said: “Several weeks ago the trust identified potential risks associated with coronavirus protective equipment during its preparations expressed in a trust board paper.

“The management of risk is a dynamic process and the risk is reviewed and updated on a daily basis, therefore it is ever changing.

“The current situation is we do have stock of appropriate protective equipment including hoods – re-usable FFP3 masks.

“Mask fitting solutions are in short supply nationally but there is an appropriate fitting procedure staff can follow which accommodates safe fitting and we are following that protocol.

“In addition to national supplies we are also exploring private sector options to supplement our stocks of protective equipment.”

There have been 20 coronavirus deaths so far at the hospital. However it is not known how many patients have been admitted to the hospital, or the county’s other acute hospital in Northampton.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has asked for the data so that a clear picture of the numbers of patients being admitted in Northamptonshire can be drawn but currently the information will not be released.

A spokesperson from the Northamptonshire COVID-19 Strategic Coordination Centre said: “The NHS is facing a period of unprecedented pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and regrettably it’s not always possible to respond to every media request for information as a result.

“The government publishes daily national, regional and local figures concerning coronavirus and Northamptonshire’s NHS organisations will continue to update the public with important information and advice as often as possible.”

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