Fifers thanked for 'overwhelming' donations of PPE to health staff

The thank you came from NHSFife as it continued to care for people diagnosed with coronavirus across the region.

The board said it had been overwhelmed by the support of the public, with regular donations of personal protection equipment (PPE) which is vital to keep staff safe when dealing with, and protecting, patients.

It continues to receive regular supplies of PPE through the established national procurement arrangements – but they have been topped up by a number of local businesses, who have donated certified FFP3 masks and other items.

Individuals have also played their part, donating PPE made using 3D printers, including small plastic clips to improve the comfort of the masks worn by healthcare staff.

Helen Buchanan, NHS Fife’s director of nursing, said: “These small clips might seem insignificant but make a world of difference to staff using masks in our clinical areas.

“Many of those wearing masks are doing so for much of the day, and these can become uncomfortable as they have to be tightly fitted in order to provide the necessary levels of protection.

“Such a small item makes the masks infinitely more comfortable without impacting on their effectiveness, and we are very much welcoming donations of these items but those wishing to do so.”

Donations of face visors and other items made locally using 3D printers have also been sent to hospitals.

Visors are a crucial piece of protective equipment for staff in many clinical areas and the quality and clinical effectiveness of these printed products must meet the safety requirements of official medical device regulations. This process of formal certification cannot be done locally by NHS Fife but is vital to ensure the correct application of PPE and adequate protection for all frontline staff

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Margo McGurk, director of finance,said: “The generosity of local people has been overwhelming and our population should be in no doubt that this is very much appreciated by staff.

“In Fife, we continue to have sufficient supplies of the PPE we require, including face visors. While the offers of 3D-printed devices are very much appreciated, we have a responsibility to ensure that any apparatus we use is tested rigorously or we risk placing staff and our patients at risk of unnecessary harm.

“The argument has been made that such devices are better than no protection at all.. However, we are clear that we have adequate supplies of visors to ensure that all staff have the appropriate protection as per the national guidelines.

“Importantly, not all healthcare staff are required to wear visors and we are satisfied that we currently have sufficient quantities of such apparatus to protect those staff who are required to use them.”

NHSFife recently opened a new PPE distribution hub at Whyteman’s Brae Hospital in Kirkcaldy which provides supplies to healthcare staff working in hospitals and across the community

» If you are making PPE on your 3D printer, this link has details of the style and dimensions:

https://coronavirus.nhsfife.org/.

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Allan Crow, Editor, Fife Free Press