Nurse tells James O'Brien how she'd like to confront the PM over PPE shortages
21 April 2020, 16:29 | Updated: 21 April 2020, 16:31
Nurse tells James O'Brien how she'd like to confront the PM over PPE shortages
This nurse told James O'Brien what she'd say to the government about her total lack of PPE after a Tory MP Tweeted there was enough equipment "despite media reports."
Naomi from Bexley currently works as a personal nursing assistant, her mother is a nurse in a hospital and her sister is a carer so they all work in the healthcare sector.
She told James once they all come home after a long day's work, discuss the lack of PPE, and then have a vigorous cleaning routine to protect Naomi's dad who is an asthma sufferer and brother.
Naomi felt that Tory MP Maria Caulfield implied her and her family are "lying" about a lack of PPE after the MP Tweeted that "despite media reports we have plenty of PPE." James countered that she may not be claiming NHS workers are lying, she may have felt it relevant to write "despite media reports."
"But the media are getting stories from first-hand people like us," said Naomi, which James countered that while he knows this is the case, perhaps Ms Caulfield does not.
"That statement is like a slap in the face to us... we would love to have PPE too.
Just finished latest shift at hospital .
— Maria Caulfield MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@mariacaulfield) April 19, 2020
Nose and ears sore from wearing masks for last 48hrs but not complaining as despite media reports we have plenty of PPE. Love being back working in #NHS @MattHancock #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/kmhYvVBqbC
"Don't you think my mum would like that PPE? My mum is in a hospital that is bedridden with Covid-19 patients. She's in ICU all the time because that's where she's stationed, she's also an ICU trained nurse," said Naomi.
"It's not fair, I even question going around my dad after work. If he catches that it's all over."
Naomi said that her, her family and colleagues are on the frontline dealing with virus patients everyday and should receive every protection possible, but they just don't.
"It's just not good enough," said James.
"I only have one visor. We know from reports, from the scientists, from the media that Covid-19 can get caught through eyes...what am I gonna do?" she said, "who do I go to for the answer? Who do I go to? There's no one there."
James said if she goes to the government they will say they're delivering 14 million items of PPE a day.
"James, the only thing the government has given me is a little piece of paper saying I can park anywhere I want to now, because there's no parking," she said.
She told James she'd say to Matt Hancock or Boris Johnson: "You see what's going on, you see how many people are dying. Give the people who are trying to make this better the protection they deserve."
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced 14 millions items of PPE are being a day with help from the armed forces and there is also an online forum where hospitals can request more for specific shortages in between deliveries.
