South Essex hospital bosses: Trialing re-use of PPE is 'sensible'

Clare Panniker, the Chief Executive Officer at Mid and South Essex University Hospitals Group which run Basildon, Broomfield and Southend Hospitals, states the trial of cleaning and re-using gowns is "sensible".

Ms Panniker was responding to reports from BBC Essex that staff in the three hospitals had been warned there could be a shortage of protective gowns in the future.

The BBC reported that staff at the trust were looking into decontaiminating the gowns and coveralls, including a new doffing process.

This is where staff would work with a "buddy" to safely remove gowns and coveralls so they can remain intact and then bagged up to be safely laundered.

In her statement Ms Panniker said: “The safety of our staff is our absolute priority. Throughout the current Covid-19 pandemic we have been working tirelessly to ensure we have supplies of PPE for staff who need it.

“However, it is now looking like there is a national shortage of gowns, and we could find ourselves in a difficult situation in the coming days and weeks.

"We want to be on the front foot, and to keep our staff safe, so are looking at ways of ensuring we have equipment available.

“We have worked closely with our microbiology and infection control leads - as well as our union colleagues - and have started to look at decontaminating our gowns and coveralls so we can use them again.

“Initial trials have taken place and are looking extremely positive – they remain fully fluid-resistant.

“While we have not yet started to reuse gowns or coveralls, trialling this procedure is a sensible and responsible step to take so we can be fully prepared.”

Last week the trust denied reports that their wards had shortages of PPE after an appeal was circulated on social media stating the The Essex Cardiothoracic Centre in Basildon had run out of protective jackets.

The trust stated none of its wards had run out of PPE and that they were receiving regular supplies.