All nurses in Sheffield should have highest standard masks, campaigners say

Currently, the highest level of protection is only provided to health staff caring for Covid-19 patients in intensive care units and other areas where aerosol generating procedures are being carried out.

Other staff, however, including those on Covid wards, are only provided with basic surgical masks, despite the fact that they could also be exposed to airborne virus particles whenever a patient coughs.

Nurses are now calling for FFP3 masks, which are said to be among the most effective protection, to be made available to all staff dealing with confirmed or suspected Covid patients.

Managers at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals say all staff are provided with PPE in accordance with Public Health England guidance, but local members of campaigning groups Nurses United and NHS Workers Say No claim their concerns are being ignored.

The campaign is being supported by Sheffield Save Our NHS, whose secretary, Ruth Milsom, said: “The campaign fully supports Nurses United in demands for higher grade equipment that will keep them, their families and work colleagues safe.

“It’s a continuing disgrace that the Government have handed out billions of pounds to private contractors to provide PPE but is still failing to ensure the safety of NHS workers.”

Campaign organisers say pressure from staff and unions has already led to a change in policy at other hospitals who are using PHE guidelines as a minimum rather than a maximum standard.

And they are also being supported by the Royal College of Nursing, the British Medical Association and the GMB trade union while 1,400 people have signed a Parliamentary petition set up by Fresh Air NHS at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/568185.

But Professor Chris Morley, chief nurse at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said ensuring staff have the recommended PPE had been a priority from the start of the pandemic and that the trust continued to follow the relevant Public Health England guidance based on the tasks and roles staff were undertaking.

“If that guidance changes we will make sure that our guidance is also changed,” he said. “We have supplies of PPE and so this would not be a barrier to responding to a change in Public Health England guidance.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.