Coronavirus: Doctors seek legal challenge over PPE provision as they warn lessons must be learned
The chair of the Doctors' Association says there has been an "inadequate supply" of PPE for health professionals.
Tuesday 9 June 2020 17:56, UK
The government is facing a legal challenge by doctors over its provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), and there are warnings there must be "no repeat of the carnage" seen in care homes.
Doctors and other campaign groups are seeking a judicial review after ministers refused to start an inquiry into whether NHS staff and care workers received adequate PPE.
They want the government to conduct an independent inquiry into PPE availability to ensure staff are properly equipped and have access to the right safety equipment if the UK experiences a second peak of the virus.
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The case is being paid for by crowdfunding and has been brought by the Doctors' Association UK, the Good Law Project, and the care home charity Hourglass.
Chair of the Doctors' Association, Dr Rinesh Parmar, said: "We know there has been an inadequate supply of out of date and perishing stock; we know our standards have fallen short of WHO and European CDC guidance.
"It would be unconscionable to ask our NHS and care sector to face that second wave without learning lessons from the first."
At least 250 health and social care workers have died with COVID-19.
This legal challenge claims the Department of Health has an obligation under the Human Rights Act to investigate whether PPE provision might have caused or contributed to those deaths.
Richard Robinson, chief executive of Hourglass, said: "As lockdown restrictions ease, it is vital that lessons are learned from our response to the pandemic before we encounter a second wave.
"There can be no excuse for a repeat of the carnage we've seen in our care homes over the last few months.
"The government must act now and commit to an urgent public enquiry before yet more lives are lost."
A Department for Health spokesperson said: "We're unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings."
The case brings further pressure on the government over its handling of PPE supplies.
Sky News recently uncovered the Health and Safety Executive had received reports regarding the deaths of 91 health and social care workers who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Their teams will assess whether PPE provision was an issue and could carry out formal investigations into the deaths.