Doctors throughout the UK continue to be “nervous and worried” about inadequate protective equipment, according to a new survey, published as the government promised millions of items to care homes.

Proposals to tackle growing problems and multiple deaths in the care sector were welcomed last night – but the Doctors’ Association warned that hospital shortages have not been solved.
It released a dossier of reports from 255 GPs and hospital doctors to its reporting app from across the UK.

Some 75% of doctors reported no access to long-sleeve gowns while 47% said they were not even available for aerosol-generating procedures. 38% said they had no eye protection.
And 38% said they had no access to FFP3 respirators for performing high risk aerosol generating procedures.

One GP in the north-east said: “We’ve completely run out of PPE. I’ve called the hotline and we’ve been given the details of suppliers – all of whom are out of stock. We’ve been given a little stock by a neighbouring GP and the local school have provided us with science goggles. They have no idea when our next delivery will be.”

Association president Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden said: “Frontline NHS staff have been misled from the very start, being told that there are sufficient supplies and only local distribution issues by numerous government representatives. The reality has been laid bare for all to see, nurses wearing bin liners and doctors buying their own PPE from DIY stores. Re-using personal protective equipment designed for single use is the latest idea but risks gambling with the health of dedicated NHS staff.”

Meanwhile GP leaders have welcomed plans for widespread testing of residents of care homes aimed at tackling the growing number of outbreaks. But practices should have access to more tests – so that all patients with suspected Covid-19 infection can be tested, according to the Royal College of GPs.

The government announced the news amid growing concern about multiple deaths in care homes. The deaths were not being included in official statistics – and care home staff claimed they were getting little support during outbreaks. Under the plans all symptomatic residents will receive tests as will care workers. The government also promised “millions” of extra items of protective equipment and unveiled a new national badge for carers.

College chair Professor Martin Marshall said: “It will help to reduce the ambiguity around cause of death, allowing GPs to record this information accurately, and ultimately understand this virus better. However, not all of our vulnerable patients live in care homes, so we also need to see more testing in the wider community to help GPs and our teams to deliver the safest possible care to all our patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Meanwhile NHS England was forced to withdraw guidance issued over the weekend amid allegations it discriminated against elderly care home residents, the Health Service Journal reported. The original guidance stated that patients at care homes or community hospitals should not be taken to emergency departments unless the case had been discussed with a “clinical adviser.”It also said that patients with dementia should not be taken to hospital if they are “functionally unchanged” following a head injury or fall.

The UK yesterday reported some 761 deaths from the virus, leading Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty to suggest that the spread of the disease was beginning to “flatten out.” He added: “Sadly we do think that high numbers of deaths will continue, certainly for a short while on from where we are at the moment.”

Dr Layla McCay, from the NHS Confederation, said: “The offer of more tests for social care staff is desperately needed as this sector has been suffering in silence during this pandemic. But it comes as health leaders across primary, community and mental health services are continuing to experience difficulties with getting their staff the tests they need to get back to work despite similar promises being made by Government.

“Things are improving but the country’s testing capacity is far from where it needs to be to meet the ambition of 100,000 a day in just over two weeks – that’s over 85,000 more tests a day than what is happening now. We need absolute clarity from the Government on how this will be achieved in such a short space of time otherwise it will be viewed as a false promise.”