Croydon Hospital says it is giving staff enough protective kit
By Tara O’Connor, BBC Local Democracy Reporter
Croydon University Hospital has defended itself following accusations it is failing to provide staff with the correct equipment to protect against coronavirus.
The GMB Union, which represents nurses, cleaners, transport workers and catering staff, wants to see all staff given the protection which includes gloves, an apron and face mask.
Southern region officer Helen O’Connor said: “All staff need the personal protective equipment (PPE).
“We would expect to see dedicated coronavirus wards and staff provided with full PPE.
“At the moment I am going round the hospitals, including Croydon, nobody has been given it, they say they are told to only wear PPE if they need it.”
But the hospital has made assurances that there is enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep patients and staff safe.
A spokesperson said: “We have enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Croydon to keep our patients and staff safe, but we need to use the stock we have appropriately.
“We are working seven days a week to make sure supplies continue to reach all our staff who need them, and we are following the latest Public Health England guidance to protect against COVID-19 (coronavirus).”
Today it was confirmed that a man and woman in their 90s who both tested positive for the virus died at the hospital.
This follows confirmation that a man in his 80s who tested positive for Covid-19 had died at the hospital on Tuesday (March 17).
As of 9am on March 19 there were 49 confirmed cases in Croydon, up from 32 the day before – although the real figure could be much higher.
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I work at Croydon hospital in catering and I can ensure you that we do not have Any ppe and even NHS stuff complain that they don’t have enough…. Not even sanitiser there is at the entrance of the hospital so any person that goes in the hospital is not desinfecting at least their hands…. In catering we should use masks and gloves etc because we are in direct Contact with customers/NHS staff and we were advised just to wash our hands.
I have just visited croydon university hospital today and the nurses are putting hand sanitisers on their hands but carrying out the blood tests without mask and gloves. I was extremely worried and confused and still am.
I am a nurse from Croydon and when asked when I’m expected to work on the ward from community I will not be given a mask.
How about getting gel inti croydon hospital’s sanitisers units,? Last week the door & corridor & ward units they kept being continuously empty. At least cover them up when empty as people keep trying to use each of them.
This has the crazy effect of the hands of people entering touch & cross contaminate the same spot as every other entering hand & they do it on every empty unit they try.
Second crazy effect is that because the gel is clear, even if one on the unit does have new gel pack in it, all the regulars are now so used to them all being empty, they completely ignore them.
Using non-proprietory hand sanitiser units, without patented gel packs, would at least allow the hospital to requision some generic hand gel when thier monopoly US supplier fails to supply them (as they predicatably will in any national contagion) .
For me, the government need stop everythink, leave just supermarket food and pharmacy, petro station and transport for the people working on this areas. Give a letter authorization it person for moving to work. The rest if not essential jobs, stay at home. The police give a penalty if not do that. The people not understood yet, the CORONAVIRUS is very seriously and dangerous.
I work in Croydon Hospital .Maternity side no Proper PPE.Even all matron. If you ask them they don’t know what to do.Im suppose to do household isolation because someone in the house showing symptoms.Unfortunately my manger want me to work because she said Im not showing symptoms and fit to work.This is insane .She force me to work otherwise She will put me off sick but not under COVID 19 category.Hope this situation next time will be clarify.Thanks
Hi i working in croydon hospital we dont have masks ,glovs corect ppi.How you can do work you dont have ppi.I do cleaning and hospital dont provaid with wrait ppi.We staff we need protection.But looks the dont care about as.How we can help the Trust dont care abaut as.
This cantry soon like in Italy.Becouse in Croydon Hospital wery bead.Not corect ppi ,not nafing .i wont say sory for nurse,catering staff,porters,cleners.Trust have too take very strikt.