Fifty British Army personnel have begun delivering life-saving Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline NHS staff who are on the front line of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The kit being delivered includes safety glasses, aprons, gloves, protective suits and masks.
On Tuesday morning, the Ministry of Defence said that soldiers from 101 Logistic Brigade delivered more than 50,000 face masks to St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
The soldiers had driven through the night from a military depot in Merseyside to deliver the vital supplies.
Image Credit: MOD
Brigadier Phil Prosser, Commander 101 Logistic Brigade, Royal Logistic Corps, said:
“This is more than just delivering masks – this is a demonstration the British Army is standing side by side with the NHS.”
“My normal role is to deliver combat supplies to combat forces in time of war – but we can respond to these challenges, and it’s great to stand with our NHS colleagues as we get ready for the challenges ahead.”
Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey MP said the work is “just one example” of how the military and NHS will “work together over the coming months”.
The NHS requested the assistance of military planners as they get ready for the inevitable peak in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases expect to hit at some point over the next 2-3 weeks.
As part of the COVID-19 response, the military are expected to deliver life-saving items to 242 NHS sites around the country.
Other armed forces personnel will also deploy to a PPE warehouse to prepare the equipment for dispatch.
Image credit: MOD
On Monday, Emily Lawson, chief commercial officer for the NHS, said:
“We need massively increased, urgent volume of these supplies to the frontline in this exceptional set of circumstances.
“We are extremely grateful for the Army’s support in doing so.”
Professor Keith Willett, Medical Director for Acute Care & Emergency Preparedness, for NHS England, said:
“The NHS is now having to use high quantities of equipment to protect staff and combat the virus as it spreads, and hospitals are now receiving substantial extra deliveries to meet their needs.
“The full weight of the Government is behind this to ensure supplies we need across the NHS are procured and delivered to replenish hospital, ambulance and community stocks.”
Emily Lawson, chief commercial officer for the NHS, said:
“We need massively increased, urgent volume of these supplies to the frontline in this exceptional set of circumstances.
“Working with our partners, we are now seeing much-increased capacity, and a more responsive supply chain to help take us through the coronavirus outbreak. We are extremely grateful for the army’s support in doing so.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:
“In the face of this unprecedented global emergency, never has the need to bolster our workforce and arm them with the vital tools they need to save lives been more crucial.
“We are taking urgent action to ensure dedicated frontline NHS and social care staff – who are working tirelessly to tackle this outbreak – feel supported. Today they are getting millions more PPE kits as part of that promise.
“We are working round the clock to make sure trucks are on the ground across the country, delivering protective equipment to all who need it, so they are well-equipped to continue to fight the virus.”
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