8,000 offers of PPE help made to ministers but some firms STILL say they’ve had no reply

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It came as a Turkish flight bound for the UK carrying 84 tonnes of equipment was still yet to depart this afternoon.

Ministers are trying to source as much PPE as possible as staff say they are still short

Earlier this month the Government gave a call out to businesses who could help with personal protection equipment for the frontline fight against coronavirus.

But many have complained they are ready and willing to help, but have had no reply.

Downing Street said earlier today they had been inundated with support and are doing their best to wade through them all.

A No10 spokesperson said: “We are rapidly processing over 8000 offers and ensuring they meet safety standards our NHS staff need, and we are prioritising offers of larger volumes.

“Countries across the world are seeking to obtain the same supplies.

“We are working as hard as we can to bring PPE in the country and trying to boost domestic supply.

“But we are very honest there are challenges in the supply of PPE, and there are problems in ensuring that PPE gets to the right places at the right time.”

Minister Simon Clarke told Sky News the country was “not going to run out” of PPE for healthcare workers despite continued concerns about shortages in hospitals and care homes.

One billion bits of PPE have been sent around the country since the crisis began.

And earlier it was reported that some is being shipped from UK warehouses across Europe despite fears the NHS could run out as they tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

British firms claim they have “no choice” but to keep sending the equipment abroad because their offers of help are being ignored.

As a result, the life-saving equipment – including masks, gowns and respirators – is being packed on lorries to supply hospitals in the EU, The Telegraph reports.

Dr Simon Festing, chief executive of the British Healthcare Trades Association, said  “a number of our members” are continuing to sell PPE abroad after their offers to help the NHS were ignored.

He said: “It’s an extremely difficult time for businesses and if they can’t supply to the UK then their commercial arrangements are likely to continue.”

Shan Hassam, chief executive of Veenak International, did not confirm the company’s arrangements, but said: “We are a very patriotic company and we want to do all we can to help the NHS.

“We stand ready to prioritise our British customers if given the opportunity to do so.”

Some gowns were reported to be short over the weekend, and NHS staff were told to use aprons instead, which do not cover up the arms.

Guidelines also say that staff should wash some PPE if they have to.

Paul Dodd, from Cheshire, told the BBC earlier that he has spent £8,000 on materials and wages to make hundreds of visors, but after four weeks has been forced to stop as he hasn’t got any reply from the Government.

No10 stressed that everyone who applied to help would have got an automated response from the Department.

Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trade Unions Congress, warned earlier that front-line staff are “being forced to put their health and their lives on the line” every day.

Around 100 NHS staff are thought to have died on the frontline so far from the virus.

She called for the government to “get a grip” – and demanded a public inquiry be set up to find out why there was a “grotesque lack of preparation on protective equipment”.

The Government could also could not say when a vital delivery form Turkey would arrive in Britain, or what the hold up was.

The spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work to ensure this shipment is delivered as soon as it is ready.

“As you know, we are seeking to source PPE from a number of countries.

“Yesterday 140,000 gowns arrived from Burma.

“The RAF are in a position to return the cargo as soon as its ready. We are working to make sure its delivered as soon as possible.”

Ministers said it was on the way on Saturday, but on Sunday it was reported it had been delayed.

Turkish officials said they had only received the request on Sunday, but the Government insisted it was placed with a private firm last Thursday.