NHS staff across the north-east have finally got their hands on beer giant Brewdog’s new hand sanitiser, after it met the high standards required for use in medical settings.
The Ellon-based brewery decided last month to use its distillery to create hand sanitiser to help those who need it, following significant shortages of the crucial product across Scotland, and reports of sanitiser being stolen from hospitals.
Initially, the brewer’s product was unable to be used by the NHS as it did not meet stringent requirements needed for use in places like hospitals.
However, following efforts by both Brewdog and the NHS, the brewery is now producing medical standard hand sanitiser and this week deliveries are being rolled out for the benefit of NHS staff as they battle the coronavirus pandemic – completely free.
The first deliveries are being made to NHS Grampian health and social care sites in Aberdeen, Inverurie and Elgin.
The product will then be allocated to NHS community nurses and other staff as directed.
Steven Glass, the head of procurement at NHS Grampian, accompanied frontline workers as they received one of the first deliveries – of 5,000 bottles – this week.
He said: “In the unprecedented times we face today, we all need to step up and do what we can to help.
“It’s heartening that firms like Brewdog are choosing to play their part and helping protect our NHS workers on the frontline across Grampian.
“This serves as yet another example of phenomenal support we’ve received from a number of businesses in the local community.
“By working together, and continuing to follow the government advice, we will get through this pandemic.”
Brewdog’s co-founder James Watt said more than 100,000 bottles of sanitiser have already been distributed to north-east community groups, as well as charities such as The Archie Foundation and Aberlour.
He added: “Brewdog have been working super closely with our friends at NHS Grampian to meet their high-specification sanitiser.
“We wanted to do everything we could to support the incredible job that the team there are doing.
“It has been a huge collaborative effort and we are delighted that the 80% Brewdog NHS sanitiser is now being shipped to them this week.”