Forum Topic

Government ignores British firms who want make PPE

Is this true? A lot of companies are complaining about this.

Nicholas Beard ● 2338d23 Comments

From the Guardian perhaps or can you provide any evidence?

Paul Fisher ● 2338d

Todays Guardian. Names firms. I am getting confused by all this.

Nicholas Beard ● 2338d

There was a Professor also a director of a medical equipment company on TV yesterday who'd been in touch offering their premises etc. to the government to make PPE - answer came there none!

Vanessa Smith ● 2338d

You all these headlines do seam to have some basis. Im glad you posted that.

Nicholas Beard ● 2338d

NHS England will run out of full length gowns this evening. Terrible! Public Health England  change advice to frontline staff on what to wear when treating corona virus patients. Is this true? Surely not.

Nicholas Beard ● 2338d

This is all across the news including Govt supporting papers.Regards UK companies offering to make PPE equipment again this is across the papers including the Daily Mail.

Neil Chippendale ● 2337d

Outrageous.  Looks like they're being guilt-tripped into wearing inadequate kit.There is a post on chiswickw4.com giving simple patterns for scrubs and info on what they should be made out of.

Philippa Bond ● 2337d

Thats right Phillipa. It is very clear to see why the Austrians are so worried about our attitude to this.

Nicholas Beard ● 2337d

Yes, there was more on Any Questions and Any Answers - people who can't make curtains and blinds at the moment who would be happy to make scrubs for those who need them.  (As well as Burberrys.)

Philippa Bond ● 2336d

Good news Turkey are sending us 84 tons of PPE today. Funny we did not ask the EU.

Nicholas Beard ● 2336d

This delivery didn't turn up. Another false promise/lie to add to the list. 'Later in the week' Hmm! And today's Sunday Times article reveals that UK companies were supplying orders from China earlier in the year for the lack of any UK orders. This must fuel conspiracy theories that the Chinese intentionally wanted to run down our manufacturing capacity. Hard to believe they didn't have enough of their own.

Peter Evans ● 2336d

Just heard the 84 tons of PPE from Turkey has been delayed and noboby knows why?

Nicholas Beard ● 2336d

There are lots of promises - it is as if to allay fears:Here's a copy of a post put on the chiswickw4.com website with patterns:"University of Arts London (Central St Martins) are making  scrubs for the NHS and they have published their simple sewing patterns for members of the public to use:https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/stories/csm-loves-nhs"It's actually the throw-away moisture repellent gowns that are worn over scrubs which they are desperately short of right now.  I presume they are made out of some sort of plastic and that is why they are so uncomfortably hot and sweaty to wear.I suppose they are made of some sort of

Philippa Bond ● 2336d

Very good observation!! Ally fears.

Nicholas Beard ● 2336d

https://scrubhub.org.uk/

Philippa Bond ● 2326d

So the desperately wanted PPE gowns eventually collected from Turkey by the RAF don't meet our safety standards and are now in storage.  Procurement overseas isn't such an easy business.  Please don't tell us It is another occasion where standards will be lowered to make whatever we have of poorer quality acceptable.  Surely it would have been easier to have sourced it here where there is more of a personal and commercial interest in making sure the standards required are met.

Philippa Bond ● 2317d

Sounds like the Turks have taken full advantage of the world shortage and sent shoddy materials instead of what was requested and orderedMade me despair how thick Kay Burley was the other morning on Sky News when she was demanding to know why the PPE was not checked on the plane before it set off for EnglandDid she seriously think that somebody would cut open all the shrink wrap on dozens of pallets and then open and inspect every box to check every single item?

Paul Fisher ● 2317d

I read that the owners want to know what the problems were - so that the situation can be resolved.  Procurement to particular specifications aren't always easy especially with new producers and definitely more difficult when distance and different languages are involved.  Time costs money and lives.  Lowering our safety standards isn't the answer.

Philippa Bond ● 2314d

I think its perfectly clear that the UK Government refused to lower its standards hence the outrage over why the Turks sent this PPE despite not meeting the standards demanded and paid for

Paul Fisher ● 2314d

As regards different languages. Well this government has cut language teaching in schools although we preach globalisation.

Nicholas Beard ● 2314d

Has it? Foreign languages are being taught more then ever in our schools and universities though I very much doubt Turkish is at the top of most students preferred choice

Paul Fisher ● 2314d

An internet search seems to say differently. On a BBC news it says the government are taking steps to reverse the trend.

Nicholas Beard ● 2314d

If and when a vacine is found by UK scientists should it be given to the USA first. Obviously we need a good trade deal with the USA and they do have prority. I ask this because of the situation in France with SANOFI. Not being in the EU leaves us in a very weak position it seems to me.

Nicholas Beard ● 2310d