Appeal for essential PPE to protect frontline workers in Sussex

Businesses, organisations and members of the public who have remaining supplies of PPE are being asked to contact the Sussex Resilience Forum.
PPE deliveriesPPE deliveries
PPE deliveries

The Sussex Resilience Forum (SRF), which is responsible for coordinating the response to Covid-19 alongside emergency services and other agencies, is appealing for help to support frontline workers in Sussex.

On April 14, it launched an appeal for anyone with stocks of PPE to get in touch.

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A spokesman said: “As the nation faces unprecedented demand for PPE, there is a very limited supply coming into the county for social workers, care home staff, firefighters and volunteers, with the NHS understandably being prioritised.”

Dave Miller, Assistant Chief Constable, Sussex Police, and Chair of the Sussex Resilience Forum said: “We are hoping that all types of businesses and organisations from high street beauty salons through to academic institutions that use these products daily can help us by offering stocks whilst they are closed.”

Since then, the SRF has been contacted by businesses and individuals from a wide range of sectors, from nursery schools through to pharmaceutical suppliers, offering to manufacture or donate unused supplies.

Mr Miller described the support as ‘incredible’.

Giving an update last week, he said: “There are almost 3,500 care settings in Sussex and the SRF has co-ordinated the distribution of over 250,000 items of PPE so far this month, with more deliveries due imminently.”

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A network of volunteers has provided vital support by collecting essential PPE from sites across Sussex, before these items are checked and redistributed for use.

The workstream responsible for managing logistics – comprising staff from Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire and Rescue, and the Military amongst others working side by side – has also taken a number of one-off deliveries of PPE, which have been distributed to health and social care locations across Sussex such as care homes and voluntary services.

Mr Miller said: “The public of Sussex have really come together since our response to this health emergency began.

“There are so many ways in which communities are supporting this effort.

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“Heroic volunteers are bringing their time, expertise and resources to enabling the essential work of key workers and helping the most vulnerable.

“Agencies across the SRF have mobilised to enable this effort alongside their existing workload, keeping vital public services running.

“We also really appreciate the support of the wider public, through alerting us to their PPE via this appeal and responding to the public health pleas to stay at home.

“We continue our appeal to businesses, the public and organisations to get in contact if they have remaining supplies of PPE which could help us in the face of Covid-19.

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“If you have any of the items below, please email the details to [email protected].”

The items currently required are:

– Protective goggles

– Disposable aprons

– Small, medium and large disposable gloves

– IIR face masks

– FFP3 face masks

– Hand sanitiser

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