The crisis over shortages of vital protective clothing for doctors and nurses was laid bare today with the leak of plans to start re-using disposable equipment.
Gowns and masks that are designed to be thrown away would be cleaned and reissued under “last resort” plans being drawn up by Public Health England.
Some hospitals have already begun laundering single-use gowns to preserve their dwindling stocks, reported the BBC which obtained the leaked document.
Others are reportedly asking staff to make do with DIY equipment including swimming goggles. Among the plans set out in the leaked document were the cleaning of used face masks using disinfection or sterilisation methods, including steam and ultra-violet light treatment.
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The document also suggested buying stocks of “building” or “sportswear” eye protection fitted with extensions to cover the side of the eyes as substitutes if proper medical goggles or face shields ran out. Another plan was using washable laboratory coats and patients’ gowns where there were no disposable gowns or coveralls available.
At the same time, the British Medical Association has gathered shocking examples of doctors having to wash and re-use personal protective equipment (PPE) and even dip their hands in a bucket of steriliser because hand gel had run out.
It said some doctors have been told by their NHS trusts to re-use gowns and some have donated some of their PPE to nurses and healthcare assistants who faced even worse shortages.
An obstetrics and gynaecology trainee in the South-East said there had been no eye protection for three weeks and there were no facilities to clean footwear. “Surgical masks are not fluid resistant. There are no reinforced gowns for high volume procedures (eg C-section).
“PPE equipment is in short supply — and often locked away. We have bought more than £4,000 worth of PPE over the last four weeks as a group of trainees.”
An anaesthetics trainee in Scotland said: “We’re having to wash our visors in disinfectant because we don’t have enough.
“We also ran out of hand gel briefly and were provided with a bucket of steriliser to dip our hands in.”
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A core medicine trainee in the East of England said: “Trust is now asking us to reuse single-use gowns not only between patients but also when we leave and return from breaks.”
A foundation year doctor on a Covid-19 ward for the elderly in the North-West said: “After the death of two of our nursing colleagues... we decided to let our nurses and healthcare assistants have priority with the gowns.”
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An A&E doctor in the East of England said there were no gowns or scrubs on their most recent shift.
A GP from Berkshire said: “Unable to get basic PPE apart from aprons and gloves. Some surgical masks, no eye protection. We managed to buy 50 visors before the rush, and had six pairs of safety glasses left from the swine flu epidemic, which the nurses are using as they have closest contact with patients. They wash and re-use these after each session.”
In a statement, Dr Susan Hopkins, Covid-19 incident director at PHE, said: “PPE is a precious resource and it is crucial that everyone in health and social care has access to the right protective equipment.
“All options are being considered to ensure this, including the safe re-use of items, but no decisions have been made.”
Care minister Helen Whately blamed a “global scramble for PPE” this morning for shortages.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Association, said: “If [Public Health England] is proposing the re-use of equipment, it needs to be demonstrably driven by science and the best evidence in keeping with international standards, rather than by availability, and with absolutely no compromise to the protection of healthcare workers.”