Just thinking about the logistics, the government would be better off paying a knowledgeable trading company to handle the warehousing storage and delivery etc so stock was used well before it dated then competently replenished.
This is something that happened just three years ago under the watch of the Tory government. Have you not seen hospitals receiving masks with a use by date of 2016 on them? When people all round the world could see the outbreak coming in January, why didn't the UK government looked to see what is available? Did your exceptionalism think you would be protected?
As far as I know hospitals have received enough PPE equipment for the last 20 years apart from 2003, 2010 and this year. I'm sure the 2016 masks are perfectly safe, safety margins are built in several times over. There are many countries with the same shortages due to the interruption in manufacture and clearly massive world demand.
The more that Ministers come on TV and evade the questions asked, the more you know that they are lying. It is a total waste of time if they only want to come out with more spin. Confronted with the fact that the UK has run down the number of hospital beds to the lowest in Europe per head of population, Gove looks shocked, but refuses to say if he regrets being part of the government that brought it about, in fact he just talks about something else. We should be used to it, but how many don't really listen?
The head of the NHS reassured the public that masses of hospital beds have now been made available for the crisis. He also said there had been a large increase in funding which will increase greatly in future.
Extra beds in 5 -10 years was exactly what was said. How has it become so run down over the past 10 years SH? If Gove doesn't know perhaps you do.
He said no country was prepared for such a crisis and no country had masses of empty beds waiting for such an event. Labour splurging all the cash before 2010 had a lot to do with any slowdown in providing resources since then.
Blair's dreadfully negotiated long running PPI schemes robbed the NHS of much needed working capital. Typical clueless Labour make a financial mess for the Tories to put right.
Try this one then. Can you clarify if the 3.5m testing kits have already been manufactured and by whom. All three of them didn't answer. Why did they try sidestepping that one?
The lady did answer. They are made by a variety of manufacturers but more importantly must be thoroughly checked before being issued. Italy has just rejected several million supplied by China as unreliable.
That is not an answer. Have they been made? They might be made by a variety of companies. The question is specific. With regards to the rejected Chinese test kits. They were actually supplied to Spain, not Italy. They were bought by a Spanish importer who didn't know that the manufacturer didn't have a licence to make them. This is what happens when you rely on private companies who will take shortcuts to keep an existing contract. Pass on your responsibility to companies who are there to make profit, and you lose control.
It would be inappropriate to name suppliers whose products may face the required tests. Private companies which have long contracts with health services hold all the expertise. Governments have tried to bypass these companies but have ended up with crap stock. Unless companies make a profit they cannot re-invest and grow, even you should understand that.
Gove was shambolic... failed to answer any direct question and used them to spout the same line... Thank goodness he failed in his leadership bid...
It is no wonder you are so supine. Yes, some have been made, but not tested. Not yet, but we are hopeful to see some soon. Nothing there to give away a confidential contract. Just answer the question if you have nothing to hide. It looks as though Spain has relied on a supplier who has got some crap stock. I understand that if you supply crap stock you shouldn't be allowed to grow.
Agreed, any fly boys taking advantage of the situation will disappear as soon as they arrived. This just reinforces the need to use long established and competent companies for supplies.
