NHS staff have anonymously reported going without essential masks against health guidance (Picture: AP)

NHS nurses treating coronavirus patients are forced to ‘hold their breath’ because of a lack of protective masks in UK hospitals, doctors have claimed.

The Doctors’ Association, a campaign group, has compiled a series of examples where it claims medics have been unable to access potentially life-saving equipment to protect themselves against Covid-19.

Evidence from the past week includes testimony from from doctors at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Kettering General hospital, Ealing hospital in West London, and Ipswich hospital in Surrey, all warning of shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), the Telegraph reports.

Matt Hancock has promised thousands of new kit is being delivered to hospitals with the help of the military and said the ‘challenge’ is not a shortage of equipment but instead getting it out to NHS staff.


A drive-through NHS testing facility for Covid-19 at IKEA Wembley, north-west London (Picture: Rex)

The Doctors’ Association has created a free app that allows doctors to report what PPE is available on a daily basis.



Chairman Dr Rinesh Parmar, an intensive care doctor, said: ‘Broken promises to supply every hospital and GP practice with PPE have left doctors with no option but to take the matters into their own hands.’

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This morning, Dr Parmar told Sky News that based on reports coming in from doctors via the new app, there are still major issues with healthcare staff accessing PPE.

NHS staff are having to reuse eye masks, he said, adding that some nurses doing high-risk procedures are ‘having to hold their breath’.

He added that a survey conducted by his organisation has found that almost half of doctors say they have no eye protection at all. ‘Given the severe lack of PPE getting through, we are all very concerned about potentially losing more colleagues,’ he said.

One doctor at Ipswich hospital reported through the app: ‘Nurses on Covid wards [are] telling me they have major concerns about PPE and their safety. They have told me they have been told off for wearing FFP3 masks by the Sister.

‘They are telling me that they go into Covid positive bays/rooms holding their breath.’

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Public Health England guidelines state that FFP3 respirator masks should be used by medics involved in ‘aerosol generating procedures’ that are likely to involve the transmission of viral droplets, including fitting ventilators, as well as in ‘higher risk’ areas of a hospital with possible or confirmed cases.

The masks should be discarded after each aerosol generating procedure, or after one shift in a ward with possible or confirmed Covid-19 patients.

A doctor at Ealing hospital, said: ‘Almost never any goggles, maybe had twice in 10 days. Having to reuse FFP3 masks for days sometimes.

‘Nurses extremely worried about lack of PPE – even patients who are barn door Covid and radiologically diagnosed – we are told we can’t have full PPE until swab is confirmed ( a day later).’

A surgeon at Manchester Royal Infirmary said the hospital had ‘run out of masks’ at one point last week.

‘Might have to operate on suspected cases without adequate protection,’ the surgeon said. ‘Been told we’re waiting for masks.’ The trust declined to comment.

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Ipswich, Stepping Hill and Ealing hospitals all said their trusts were following the new national guidelines on PPE requirements for staff. A spokesman for Stepping Hill hospital added: ‘There is no rationing.’



A spokesperson for London North West University Healthcare trust, which includes Ealing hospital, said it would be ‘issuing a reminder’ to staff on ‘what protective equipment they should be wearing and how they can access it’.

NHS England said in a statement: ‘The Department of Health and Social Care has secured millions more items of personal protective equipment which is going out to frontline staff, and every NHS and hospital trust in England should have received a delivery.’

A Downing Street official said: ‘There have certainly been issues with not so much having the supplies, but in making sure that we got them to the right place.’

Health secretary Mr Hancock today added: ‘We’re asking people to put themselves in harm’s way to help other people and they must be protected. We absolutely are doing everything we can to fix it.’

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