NI Nurses 'no' to PPE re-use
'Staff should not be asked to re-use items that are marked for single use' RCN director Pat Cullen
Last updated 20th Apr 2020
Anxious nurses in Northern Ireland have lambasted new guidance allowing the re-use of Covid-19 protective gear.
RCN director Pat Cullen has written to Health Minister Robin Swann seeking clarity
It follows updated guidelines from Public Health England which says PPE can be used again where there are acute shortages and is safe to do so
Pat says it should never apply here.
She told Downtown & Cool FM: "We believe that the guidance should not be implemented in Northern Ireland and our members are very concerned about it.
"Our members have already told us that they felt pressurized to work without levels of protection set out in the current guidance.
"Staff should not be asked to re-use items that are marked for single use.
"It is clear that nursing staff are really worried and anxious about this situation."
In a statement the RCN said: The RCN in Northern Ireland has written as a matter of urgency to the Health Minister, copied to each Executive Minister and the Chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly Health Committee to seek assurance that this guidance will not be implemented in Northern Ireland.
"We understand that the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales have already committed not to implement this revised Public Health England guidance.
"We have received a response that says: “it has not been implemented at this point.”
The guidance states where there are acute shortages of PPE and where it is safe to do so, it approves the sessional (extended) and reuse of PPE.
It also says: This document aims to highlight the sessional use and reuse of PPE when there are severe shortages of supply. The considerations are to ensure that health and care workers are appropriately protected from COVID-19, where items of PPE are unavailable, and should be considered as temporary measures until the global supply chain is adequate to meet the UK’s needs.It also says: This document aims to highlight the sessional use and reuse of PPE when there are severe shortages of supply. The considerations are to ensure that health and care workers are appropriately protected from COVID-19, where items of PPE are unavailable, and should be considered as temporary measures until the global supply chain is adequate to meet the UK’s needs.