The GMB Union is calling for ambulance workers to be issued with gold standard PPE after the results of a poll of 1,600 staff revealed that 37% of them have had coronavirus, with 84% saying they caught it whilst ‘on the job’.
The survey of 3,506 NHS workers across England and Wales also revealed that 30% of workers overall had caught the virus with almost 60% saying they passed it to a family member.
GMB is clear that poor PPE is to blame, and the union is urging the Government and Public Health England to urgently review PPE guidance for health workers.
Ambulance workers report having to attend patients with flimsy gowns instead of proper PPE, nurses in hospitals working amongst COVID-19 patients say they are given only the most basic of surgical masks, while hospital Trusts are not isolating and testing patients efficiently.
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer, says: “Our health workers are dropping like flies – yet the Government and Public Health England still won't give them proper, FFP 3 protection. This is a year into the pandemic - it’s a disgrace.
"Our paramedics, technicians and practitioners are expected to treat suspected coronavirus patients with nothing but a flimsy mask and a plastic apron.
“GMB has called for guidance to be reviewed since the start of the pandemic and unless ministers sit up and take notice, our health service will be overwhelmed.”
