Urgent appeal for protective equipment for York’s care workers who are ‘putting themselves at great risk’

York is appealing for more protective equipment to support care workers who putting themselves at risk for vulnerable people.

City of York Council leader Keith Aspden has written to Matt Hancock, the health secretary, to urge him to do more to get personal protective equipment (PPE) to the frontline.

The council is also appealing to local businesses for any PPE they can spare.

Cllr Aspden said:

• Social care is at the frontline of responding to the outbreak of coronavirus and I know that in York, our workforce is doing an incredible job in extremely difficult circumstances.

  They are, of course, also doing a dangerous job, putting themselves at great risk to protect vulnerable residents and support our communities.

  Ensuring their safety should be paramount, alongside the safety of those that they are supporting.

Appeal for gloves and goggles

Although the council’s care teams currently have sufficient PPE, stocks nationally are running low, and priority is being given to NHS staff.

York’s director of public health Sharon Stoltz said: “All our care workers are following national government guidance on the PPE they need to wear. In a similar way to NHS staff, care staff need to use PPE to keep themselves safe from the risk of infection.

“At present we have low stocks of PPE. Our teams go through hundreds of single use items every day. As national stock levels are low, anything local businesses can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

“The items we need are disposable plastic aprons, gloves, black bags, masks, eye protection goggles, alcohol based hand sanitiser and hard surface wipes.”

Anyone who thinks they may have useful PPE should please email [email protected]