Safety advice offered to community PPE contributors

Orkney Health and Care (OHAC) and NHS Orkney have offered further advice for those wishing to provide additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline workers, in order to ensure that it complies with safety standards.

Several offers to make and supply PPE have been received by the two organisations, for which they are very grateful.

However, like all bodies providing health and social care services, OHAC and NHS Orkney have a duty of care to ensure PPE used by frontline colleagues meets internationally approved safety standards. Both teams have offered further advice on how community groups working hard to bolster PPE stocks can ensure that their equipment meets the correct standard.

NHS Orkney Chief Executive Designate Iain Stewart said: “We have been overwhelmed by the amount of support we are receiving from our local community. This kindness means a great deal to all of us.

“We appreciate every offer of support. However, to safeguard both the individuals we support and our colleagues, it is important that we ensure that all donations of PPE meet approved quality assurance standards.”

Sally Shaw, Chief Officer of Orkney Health and Care (OHAC) said “We greatly appreciate the generous response and the offers of help we’ve received.

“Our PPE needs to be as safe as possible to use, to protect our staff and the people they care for from infection. We will now be checking the PPE donated to us to make sure it meets the set standards and can be used by frontline staff.”

OHAC and NHS Orkney have said that they both continue to receive regular supplies of fully approved PPE for key workers and are actively working to ensure this is maintained during the pandemic.

Advice for those interested in making and supplying PPE which complies with the required safety standards can contact Orkney Islands Council’s trading standards team on 01856 873535 extension 3041 or by emailing trading.standards@orkney.gov.uk

To ensure all donations are distributed where they are needed, Scottish Enterprise has set up an email address where all donations to be registered – Covid-19NHSsupplychain@gov.scot .

A process is in place to fast track compliant PPE so it can be approved for use key workers. Orkney manufacturers wishing to do this can find out more at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-support-from-business