Care homes in ‘critical need’ offered emergency PPE by Sheffield Council

An email sent by Sheffield Council to care providers in the city and seen by The Star says homes can only request emergency supplies of PPE if they have less than 72 hours supply remaining.

The equipment - which includes gloves, masks and aprons - is in short supply at the moment with care homes and even hospitals saying they are running out.

The email from Sheffield Council says that in order to be eligible for consideration, homes must have 'explored their usual routes’ for PPE.

They also must have made every effort to secure PPE from additional routes, including having contacted the Government’s service disruption line.

It adds staff must have ‘close, unavoidable contact’ with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 cases and the amount of PPE requested must be ‘proportionate’ and only to bridge the gap to their next delivery.

And it says organisations must have made ‘every effort to redesign services’ to minimise the number of frontline workers in close contact with symptomatic people.

Cabinet member for health and social care at Sheffield Council, George Lindars-Hammond, acknowledged PPE ‘continued to be a concern’ but said that they were working hard to meet demand.

He said: “It is important to state that it is the care providers’ responsibility to source and supply PPE to their staff in the first instance.

“However, where providers are struggling to obtain their own supplies, we are here to help provide them with the kit they need when we are informed of their emergency requirements.

“Where providers have asked for help we have continued to supply the required PPE. As demand from care providers has increased we have adjusted our supply and stock to meet that demand.

“To date, we have supplied approximately 330,000 items of PPE to the independent sector per week over a three week period.

“Our deliveries continue to meet emergency demand and thanks to local businesses, we have enough to supply those in need of emergency PPE in the city.”