Thank you for contacting me about the supply of personal protective equipment to people working in health and social care.
I would like to reassure you that ensuring our frontline staff are properly protected is of paramount importance to me, and to my colleagues on all sides of Parliament. I have been pleased to learn that the army has been working to distribute supply of the equipment. Having raised this matter with the department, I know that my colleague the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is taking this issue extremely seriously. However, I will continue to closely scrutinise steps being taken to ensure that all health and social care staff, whether they work in the NHS or other care facilities, are adequately protected and able to carry out their vital roles safely.
I am incredibly respectful of the monumental efforts of people across the country to support their local health service providers. PPE, however, is created to strict specifications and requirements in order to ensure the safety of its users. The Government has published these specifications online and wants to hear from any manufacturers who can produce PPE in line with these requirements. Potential suppliers are asked to complete an online survey which helps the Government track capacity within the system and production going forward. There is dedicated team in Government to help fast-track the regulatory approval process helping to ensure equipment can reach health and social care workers as quickly as possible.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Kind regards,
Sally-Ann Hart MP