The government has promised “millions” of items of personal protective equipment following days of complaints from doctors about shortages and inadequacies.

Army units are to be deployed this week to get supplies to hospitals and practices, ensuring supplies of FFP3 masks, the government said. It also opened a 24-hour hotline to enable NHS organisations to deal with shortages throughout the day and night. All practices should have had a delivery, the NHS said. NHS officials found a national “stockpile” stored for a flu pandemic and began its distribution.

NHS chief commercial officer Emily Lawson said: “Working with our partners, we are now seeing much increased capacity, and a more responsive supply chain to help take us through the coronavirus outbreak. We are extremely grateful for the army’s support in doing so.”

Health secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are taking urgent action to ensure dedicated frontline NHS and social care staff – who are working tirelessly to tackle this outbreak – feel supported. Today they are getting millions more PPE kits as part of that promise. We are working round the clock to make sure trucks are on the ground across the country delivering protective equipment to all who need it, so they are well-equipped to continue to fight the virus.”

* Emerging guidance on face masks in primary care says that standard masks are as good as respiratory masks for most purposes – and there is no evidence they carry an increased risk. However respiratory masks are needed for aerosol-generating procedures.

Professor Trish Greenhalgh, of Oxford University’s Nuffield department of primary care, released some summaries of the guidance last night. She said masks must be worn properly and with eye protection. She advised against cloth masks, which trials have shown carry an increased risk of infection.