Almost 400,000 pieces of PPE delivered to Staffordshire Care Homes by County Council

Almost 400,000 masks, gloves and aprons have been delivered to Staffordshire care homes and other care providers to help them care for the most vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic.

Staffordshire County Council has stepped into offer emergency supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure every care provider has what it needs to manage outbreaks.

Alan White, Staffordshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said:

We know there is a global shortage of PPE and that’s why we have stepped into make sure no care provider in Staffordshire goes without the PPE it needs if it runs out.

Our army of carers are doing an amazing job in extremely difficult times and we are determined to make sure they have what they need to protect themselves.”

Care providers should try to source their own PPE and the emergency supplies will be used if they are unable to get any. The council has considered what PPE supplies are likely to be required over the next 12 weeks and is planning to meet the anticipated demand.

So far almost 400,000 pieces of equipment have been delivered to Staffordshire’s care frontline.

These include thousands of:

• face masks
  

• gloves
  

• respiratory masks
  

• disposable aprons
  

• goggles
  

• visors
  

• gowns

The council has also pledged £13.6m to help care providers cover additional costs for staff and PPE during the crisis.

Alan White added:

"We said from the outset that we would do whatever we can to keep people safe, care for the most vulnerable and help carers on the frontline.

It was clear six weeks ago that PPE would be an issue and our teams continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our care providers will have the supplies they need.”