Grave concerns over PPE Guidance

Branch Secretary Health & Safety

Dear Khadir,

I am again writing on behalf of LAS UNISON Branch with regards to the grave concerns our Branch Committee and members now have over the PPE guidance and supply for all patient treatment.

Over the past three weeks we have repeatedly requested evidence to support the specific PPE guidance that our members are instructed when treating patients to use to protect them and their families from Covid-19 infection.

This evidence has still not been provided to us. We have also repeatedly raised concern that the LAS are not supplying and distributing sufficient amounts of PPE and have further highlighted the poor quality of some items of PPE available falling well below the World Health Organisation’s guidance for Infection Prevention and Control during health care when Covid-19 is suspected.

The high infection rates of Covid-19 in the community we serve and the worryingly high infection rates of our staff, now including a member in a critical condition, lead us to conclude that our members are not sufficiently protected from the serious health risk of Covid-19 infection by the PPE and associated guidance provided by the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

This is a huge risk not only for the infection of staff and their families but also that we are likely transmitting the virus to our patients.

We now ask that our staff are instructed immediately to use an FFP3 face mask, Tyvek long sleeved coverall, eye protection and double gloves for all patient contact.

We ask this remain the case until a time any changes to this PPE and when to use it are agreed in partnership with LAS UNISON Branch.

If the Senior Management of the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust are not able or willing to meet these steps to protect the health and safety of our members we will have no choice but to consider further action to resolve this issue.

Kind regards
Eddie Brand
LAS UNISON Branch Secretary

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