Coronavirus: Calls for adequate PPE intensify as more NHS staff die fighting Covid-19 Deaths of nine health service and care sector workers confirmed over the weekend

The direct toll of the coronavirus pandemic on NHS staff and care workers was underlined anew yesterday after the deaths of more frontline clinicians and hospital personnel were announced.

As tributes were paid to at least nine health service workers whose deaths were confirmed over the weekend, fresh questions were raised about the amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE) reaching medics and carers.

The latest deaths, which included two porters from Oxford married to nurses in the same hospital where both men worked, bring to 38 the total number of health service and care sector staff to have died during the Covid-19 outbreak.

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Nurses advised to refuse treatment without PPE

The grim toll was revealed as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said it had recommended that its members should refuse – “as a last resort” – to treat patients if they did not have adequate PPE.

Among those workers to have died from Coronavirus in recent days were Kevin Smith, a plaster technician who had worked for 35 years at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, and Donna Campbell, a healthcare support worker at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff.

Richard Parker, chief executive at the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said Mr Smith had died after a “brief, but courageous battle with Covid-19”. Mr Parker said: “Kev was renowned for his warm personality, diligence and compassion”.

‘Kind-hearted friend’

Colleagues of Ms Campbell said they were “heartbroken” at the loss of a “beautiful, kind-hearted friend”.

The deaths included five nurses, among them highly-experienced trauma nurse Julie Omar, 52, who had been self-isolating in her Worcestershire home after developing Coronavirus symptoms, and Leilani Dayrit, a nurse at St Cross Hospital in Rugby, who also died after contracting Covid-19. Ms Dayrit, 47, was described as a “ ray of sunshine to those who were fortunate to meet her”.

In Oxford, the two porters – named locally as Oscar King Junior and Elbert Rico – were described as popular members of staff at the city’s John Radcliffe Hospital. Both men, believed to be from the Philippines, were married to nurses at the hospital.

‘Real issue about protective equipment’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer backed the advice from the RCN, which told its members that they can refuse to treat patients if they feel their PPE is inadequate. The nurses’ union said such a step would always be a “last resort” but the safety of its members as they daily risk their lives “must not be compromised”.

Sir Keir said the promises of ministers over PPE were not being “matched” by action. He tweeted: “We’ve seen a real issue about protective equipment with the Government saying one thing and the frontline saying another.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who was criticised over the weekend after he appeared to ask NHS staff not to overuse PPE, insisted once more last night that the UK had had adequate stockpiles of equipment prior to the pandemic.

Anxiety

Unions insisted that problems remained. Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said: “Staff across health, care and key local services are facing huge risks and pressures.

These deaths will heighten anxiety and show why the Government must sort any problems with PPE supplies immediately.”