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According to a survey, almost half of Britain’s doctors have obtained their own personal protective equipment or relied on a donation when none was available through the normal channels of the NHS.
The British Medical Association said that while PPE supplies have improved, their data from more than 16,000 physicians shows that there is room for improvement to protect healthcare workers on the front line.
The organization said its latest survey is the largest by NHS frontline staff during the coronavirus crisis.
He said almost a third (30%) of the doctors in England who were questioned said they had not reported or spoken about problems related to PPE, staff shortages, testing or shortage of drugs because they did not believe that anything would be done. about it if you did.
When asked how safe they were from the coronavirus they felt at work, almost two-thirds (65%) said they felt only partially or not at all protected. Overall, 48% of physicians reported purchasing PPE directly for themselves or for their department, or that they received a donation from a local or charity.
The problem seemed to be greater among GPs, with 55% of them saying they had to, compared to 38% of hospital doctors. More than a quarter (28%) of doctors said they suffered from depression, anxiety, stress, exhaustion, emotional distress, or other work-related or worsened mental health conditions during this time.
BMA council chairman Dr. Chaand Nagpaul said the EPP survey response was “a damning accusation of the abject government failure to ensure that health workers across the country receive the kit to save lifes”.
Nagpaul said: “The survey shows that overall, there has been an improvement in the supply of PPE, but if almost half of all doctors report that they had to resort to buying PPE themselves or depending on donations, then still there is much for the government to do to protect its front line. ”
Doctors who responded to the survey also had space to leave a comment.
One said that the situation with the PPE had been “a scandal for all staff”, another admitted feeling “very unprotected”, and another said they were “coping” but added that “it is a worrying moment on the front line, without NHS eye protection and only flimsy aprons and cheap surgical masks. ”
Nagpaul said: “The government has five tests that, he said, must be met to facilitate the blockade, the first of which is” making sure that the NHS can cope. “Six weeks after this crisis, how can the government Be sure that this condition is close to being met, or that the pandemic is under control, when the same people on the front line are not safe? ”
Speaking at the Downing Street briefing on Thursday, Boris Johnson acknowledged the difficulties in obtaining enough PPE, but said those responsible for addressing the issues were “throwing everything, heart and soul, night and day, at him to get it right.”
The BMA said 16,343 doctors in England responded to the survey between April 28-30.
