Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Public Health England Guidance on PPE
There is now updated guidance on how to work safely in domiciliary care and care homes which also includes updated advice on PPE protocol regarding the use of face masks during the current period of sustained transmission.
How to Work Safely in Domiciliary Care - (GOV UK)
How to Work Safely in Care Homes - (GOV UK)
Please ensure you stay up to date with the most current national guidance
A visual guide to safe PPE is also available.
Public Health Dorset Support for Providers
Public Health Dorset has created additional PPE guidance. This guide does not supersede national guidance but has been developed in partnership with all South West Local Authorities to assist with local interpretation of multiple national documents.
The guide (version 36) can be used to help determine whether and what type of PPE is required for different job roles within many settings including community and social care settings.
Please note that this is a live document and may need to be updated following changes to national guidance, so please check the link regularly.
In Version 36, Table A regarding PPE requirements for care homes has been updated following recent guidance on How to Work Safely in Care Homes and How to Work Safely in DomCare which includes clarification around use of fluid-resistant masks due to the vulnerability of the cohort and the nature of the setting. The guidance around shielding in all settings from use of surgical masks to fluid-resistant masks has also been updated, along with advice for staff working in households to reflect the care home guidance due to the overlap with supported living.
Public Health Resource Pack - Prevention and Control of Covid-19 in Social Care Settings
On 9 April, a resource pack from PHE was circulated by email to providers by Partner in Care. (shared by email on 9 April 2020). All of these resources can be found on the National Guidance & Resource Packs tile of these pages.
Accessing PPE Supply Chains during the coronavirus outbreak
Due to the unprecented demand for PPE there has been widespread disruption to standard supply chains. Providers must attempt to secure their own supplies before requesting to access contingency supplies from the Councils.
The Dorset NHS CCG has produced the following guidance to support providers to find suppliers of PPE where usual routes have failed.
In addition Dorset NHS CCG receives offers from businesses to provide PPE and this has been collated on this table
Please note that this does not represent a list of CCG recommended providers or products and that Dorset CCG has undertaken no steps to either verify the standard of products offers or the viability of the organisation. It is therefore recommended that you take the due diligence checks required under your own governance arrangements.
If you are aware of any producers who may wish to offer their products please ask them to complete this form
Providing contingency supply of PPE during coronavirus outbreak
(Updated 28.4.20) Both BCP and Dorset Council have limited supplies of PPE. In exceptional circumstances we will endeavour to support local social care providers, personal assistants and family carers with any urgent need, in line with Public Health guidance. Please read your relevant councils protocol if you need to request contingency supplies:
BCP PPE Protocol for Providers 28 April 20
DC PPE Protocol for Providers 28 April 2020
Putting on and removing PPE
Added 27 March : Public Health England have produced a video guide which covers the putting on a removing of PPE.
Update 26 April - please refer to National Guidance & Resource Packs tile of these pages for further resources.
Hand sanitisers
Added 27.03.2020: Since the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) demand for alcohol-based hand sanitising products has increased dramatically, leading to some shortages. To meet the demand, the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is working extremely hard to support manufacturers to produce sanitisers. Hand sanitisers have a required and vital need for demonstrable efficacy and safety of production, therefore it is fundamental that we cannot and must not advocate this clinical product to be made outside of the normal supply chain approved suppliers list.
The MHRA has advised against all non-compliant products being utilised in the healthcare during the current coronavirus pandemic.
Please remember that one of the cheapest, easiest and most important ways to prevent the spread of a virus is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
Archived News:
Plans to support access to PPE
1.4.20 The Department of Health and Social Care has outlined plans to support providers to access PPE. The letter also highlights the importance of using PPE in line with national guidance in line with infection prevention and control.
Accessing government stocks of PPE
Read the letter from the Department of Health and Social Care about deliveries of face masks to Residential and Home Care Providers, dated 19 March.
In addition, as of 19 March, deliveries of face masks are being made directly to providers from central supplies. We are expecting a delivery to councils in the next few days. We encourage providers to work together to share information on suppliers with stock and resources if practical. We also understand from Monday 23 March there will be an increased stock available into the usual supply chains.