Sheffield families are fearful as home carers are left without PPE, says charity

Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh and Sheffield Liberal Democrats have both called for more personal protective equipment in care homes.

Charity Carers UK says there are ‘significant concerns’ from the families it supports about staff entering people's homes.

One relative told Carers UK: "The PPE provided to care workers is a flimsy plastic apron and gloves. It is protecting neither the care workers nor my wife. It is one of the biggest worries I have."

Another relative said: “My mum’s care workers did not have the correct PPE to attend my mum with a raised temperature so they withdrew care.”

Carers UK says families are concerned the lack of PPE has the potential to spread coronavirus amongst high risk people.

Its report says: “This has led some carers to reduce the support they receive, placing yet more strain on themselves.

“In some cases, carers have reported services have been withdrawn because of care workers not having adequate PPE.

“Carers are also concerned about their own inability to access PPE for themselves and the impact catching coronavirus would have on their ability to care.”

The charity is calling on the government to increase the delivery of PPE to care workers and ensure unpaid carers are also included.

It said: “Carers looking after multiple people, caring at a distance, who have to leave the home and those caring for someone who is shielded or otherwise at high risk also need to be prioritised for receiving PPE.”

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