Plans to stockpile PPE equipment for next 12 months to respond to future outbreaks of coronavirus

Aberdeenshire Council could buy in a years’ supply of potentially life saving kit to prepare for a second wave of coronavirus.

Officials believe personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required in medical services and on the front line for at least another 12 months and needed by staff across the region as they return to work.

The local authority – which is facing a £30 million budget black hole – is currently considering the best route forward on providing and distributing that equipment.

At Wednesday’s IJB Audit committee, councillors will hear about the work being undertaken by Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partership (AHSCP) to secure the PPE needed.

The report, prepared by Janine Howie, reveals the fine line officials will have to walk between between enduring supplies and not expensively over-stocking.

She writes: “The service is planning for a requirement for PPE for at least another 12 months.

“There is the necessity for ongoing service design to ensure there is sufficient agility to respond to any recurring Covid-19 outbreaks, but also to allow staff to return to substantive posts as other service start to rebuild.

“The PPE stock will require to be managed carefully to ensure there is an adequate supply, but not significant unused stock if the demand decreases.”

The organisation’s PPE team initially consisted of four people, but staff from a variety of other services – including transport and Live Life Aberdeenshire – were soon drafted in after the demand rose.

The report also reveales there was “confusion” after April 27, when National Services Scotland, a branch of the NHS, passed the responsibility of providing PPE to councils.

Supplies from Scotland’s National Distribution Centre were delivered to local hubs across the country.

The report states: “NSS was directly providing to providers, but then changed this responsibility to AHSCPs from April 27.

“During the transition period there was some confusion as social care providers were unsure where to go to for equipment, as this change was implemented very rapidly.

“NSS have asked for the costs, but is unclear if we will be fully reimbursed.”

Our libraries team has joined efforts around the country to contribute to the production of personal protective equipment.

They are using 3D printers to create protective visors for @HSCPshire colleagues.

See more: https://t.co/a5bh6cgAyX@Aberdeenshire pic.twitter.com/en1hriEOqX

— Live Life Aberdeenshire (@LLAberdeenshire) April 17, 2020

The report adds that NHS Grampian would not provide any PPE for the council’s social care staff, which resulted in “paying for PPE when NHSG stock was free of charge”.

Across the country, there have been unprecdented increase in the supply of visors, gowns, aprons and ventilators, with the NHS providing more than 4.6 million surgical masks per week – 50% more than the total for the whole of the previous year.

Last month Health Secretary Jeane Freeman was branded “incompetent” after she admitted visors and gowns were not stockpiled before the pandemic erupted.

A helpline for staff to report shortages had received more than 1,000 calls, while Aberdeen University microbiologist Sir Hugh Pennington insisted it was “hopeless” to ask medics to care for infected patients without the essential kit.

Trade minister Ivan McKee did, however, say Scotland was “moving towards self-sufficiency” in the supply of the kit.

Mr McKee spoke of the difficulties of doing this as “global demand for PPE and equipment had risen exponentially, sources of supply had dried up and trade barriers had increased”.