NOT FIT FOR USE
»»Part of €200m PPE delivery unsuitable for workers »»Donohoe seeking alternative supplies
PASCHAL Donohoe has defended the Government’s massive €200million spend on PPE after frontline health experts said some of it is “not suitable for use”.
However, the Finance Minister admitted they are considering alternative suppliers, telling the Irish Mirror “we are looking at all opportunities” to get more gowns, masks and other protective wear.
The national emergency has led to an urgent demand for the vital gear for frontline workers and the Government has been praised for securing deliveries.
Mr Donohoe was one of the decision makers who sanctioned the €200million worth of imports. A normal year’s stock would amount to only €15million.
But while Professor Martin Cormican – the HSE’S clinical lead on infection control – said the supply chain was sound, he expressed concerns about the quality of the equipment received.
He added: “The first delivery arrived on Sunday night and we looked at each of the items.
“Some of it is suitable for use, some of it has limited use and some of it is not suitable for use.
“So it’s useful for us to have this new supply line. A good deal of the material will be useful and that’s really important to say because it is quite hard internationally to secure this.
“But the evaluation we did indicates some of the items we received are not suitable and we’ll have to work with the suppliers and make sure that those items we consider don’t meet our standards, that we don’t want to receive more of those items.
“But the items that are useful to us, that we need to keep, we want to keep that supply line open.” Mr Donohoe, pictured, was asked yesterday about the potential waste of taxpayer funds.
He told the Irish Mirror: “The Government is taking the issue of how we procure our protective equipment for our nurses, for our doctors and for all of those who are giving care
at this time in our community with the utmost priority.
“But as we are doing this work, we are doing it in a world in which this equipment is being sought by nearly every other country and the ensuing purchase of this equipment has become exceptionally competitive.
“It is the case that the protective equipment that has now been brought into Ireland for some of our healthcare workers will be different to the protective equipment they have become used to. We are continuing to look at all opportunities to acquire new protective equipment.”
Meanwhile, the Irish Pharmacy Union last night welcomed the new coronavirus prescription rules which were signed into law this week by Health Minister Simon Harris.
IPU chief Darragh O’loughlin said: “Pharmacists are working unstintingly at the coalface dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and these new regulations will streamline the prescribing process, facilitate continuity of care and allow us to continue supporting patients throughout this situation.
“The secure electronic transfer of prescriptions to pharmacies via Healthmail from GPS and hospitals is a very welcome step forward and is something we have been advocating for some time.
“This will relieve some of the pressures on our GPS, pharmacists and patients in accessing prescriptions, cut down on unnecessary contact and eliminate the need for paper prescriptions.
“It makes solid, practical sense.”
Electronic transfer is a welcome step forward
DARRAGH O’LOUGHLIN IPU CHIEF YESTERDAY
A good deal of the material will be useful but some items don’t meet our standards
PROF MARTIN CORMICAN YESTERDAY