Designer’s sew simple solution to unsuitable PPE gowns

A DRESSMAKER and her family have been working 12-hour days at home to alter protective hospital gowns bought from China by the HSE but unusable simply because the arms are too short.

Claire Heavey, from Naas, Co. Kildare, has been altering gowns in boxes marked ‘inappropriate PPE’ since last Monday for staff at Naas General Hospital.

The HSE has admitted that 20% of the personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gowns, masks and goggles, it ordered from China is not suitable because it is too small or not up to standard. But Ms Heavey says the HSE should enlist the help of the public to salvage what can be used rather than letting boxes lie discarded as the crisis rages on.

The mother of four told the Irish Mail on Sunday that when she heard part of the PPE consignment from China was not fit for purpose as the sleeves were too short, she thought the State would simply alter them.

‘I couldn’t understand why they weren’t being made fit for purpose,’ she said. ‘Naas had 11 boxes of 150 gowns that couldn’t be used. So can you imagine how many have been delivered elsewhere that can be used when altered?

‘I can’t believe there hasn’t been a call out to dressmakers across the country to alter PPE in the midst of the crisis.’

Ms Heavey, who is a graduate of the Grafton College of Fashion Design, had been making masks for her family and friends with leftover material and filters, so contacted Naas Hospital to see if they could be used by staff.

‘They couldn’t take the masks but the person overseeing the

PPE told me, “I don’t know what we’ll do with all the gowns we have, they’re too short in the arms”,” she explained.

‘So I said I’d be able to lengthen the arm and put elastic around the cuff to make them tight at the wrist and give them full protection. He gave me samples to do and they were reviewed in the hospital and it went from there. He dropped about 150 on Monday and they went back to him on Wednesday morning when he dropped me another box of 150 so I’m on those ones now.’

Ms Heavey has her husband

Ray, their children Faye, 12, Moya 11, Devin, nine, and six-year-old Rowen helping with her work.

She sewed ‘12 hours straight’ on Tuesday with Faye and Moya helping her to finish 150 gowns – PPE which would have lain unused otherwise.

Now a number of other dressmakers have offered to help their hospitals since Ms Heavey’s gesture was announced on

‘Arms are too short on 20% of Chinese gowns’