Posted on Monday 17th August 2020
Emergency supplies of gloves, masks, gowns, aprons, safety glasses and visors have been distributed across Staffordshire.
More than three million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been delivered by Staffordshire County Council to help keep the county safe and moving.
Emergency supplies of gloves, masks, gowns, aprons, safety glasses and visors have been distributed to care homes, care agencies carrying out home visits, schools, places of worship and to frontline council staff.
As well as pledging almost £18m in support to the care sector, the county council has stepped in with PPE when supplies have been difficult to obtain.
Johnny McMahon, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said:
At the beginning of this crisis we promised we would do all we could to keep people safe.
Care providers have been sourcing their own supplies wherever possible but demand for PPE outstripped supply at the beginning and there have been moments since where stock hasn’t arrived on time and we’ve stepped in to ensure continuity of care.”
At the last count the county council has delivered 3.2 million items of PPE and is continuing to source supplies in case future outbreaks cause further shortages.
At an early stage council staff liaised with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, which has been a great help with distribution across the county.
Coun McMahon said:
Council staff have been magnificent, often working seven days a week during the worst of the national shortages to ensure Staffordshire got the PPE it needed.
Only last week someone had just got home in the evening when we had an urgent call from someone whose scheduled delivery hadn’t arrived.
They went back to the stores and then drove to Tamworth there and then so that someone seriously ill could continue receiving the care they needed.”
Since lockdown began the estimated cost to Staffordshire County Council of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic has been placed at more than £50 million.
Coun McMahon added:
Although restrictions are easing, we have seen recently that Covid-19 is still with us in Staffordshire.
It’s vital that we still use common sense and follow the hygiene and social distancing advice to contain the virus.”