PEOPLE DO NOT GO TO WORK TO DIE
18 nurses are struck down with Covid on one ward They claim they’re being denied higher grade PPE
EIGHTEEN nurses on a single Scottish ward have tested positive for coronavirus – which concerned staff are blaming on ineffectual PPE.
Nurses in Scotland, apart from those dealing with patients requiring aerosolgenerating procedures such as ventilators, are only issued with surgical masks.
They have been denied access to the higher grade FFP3 masks which properly protect the wearer.
Now nurses at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley have voiced fears about their safety following the outbreak of the virus on ward 23 – an orthopaedic ward – and ward 27 – a general medical ward.
The news comes as Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board confirmed “a number of deaths”deaths from coronavirus among patients at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
Last week, QEUH bosses confirmed there had been an outbreak in its hepatology ward. About 13 patients and several members of staff were infected but yesterday NHS GG&C admitted deaths had occurred.
It is the second Scottish hospital in six days to record deaths on non-Covid wards. Last week, the Western General in Edinburgh said “a very small number” of patients had died from the virus on an oncology ward.
The growing number of nurses to be infected has caused great concern among staff.
One nurse said: “People don’t go to work to die but that is what is going to happen if the Scottish Government does not change its PPE guidance.”
The two Covid-affected wards at the RAH have been closed to new patients but the heath board is not saying how many patients and staff have been infected. However, the Record understands that, on ward 23, 16 full-time nurses and two regular bank staff have tested positive since the first patient tested positive two-and-a-half weeks ago.
Test results on another member of staff were understood to be inconclusive but this nurse is self-isolating at home along with five other members of staff.
Fourteen patients have tested positive on the same ward. The first patient was found to have the virus through routine screening.
A hospital insider said: “We are not allowed to wear the FFP3 masks. We are told they are only for doing aerosol
generating procedures. We are just wearing standard blue surgeon’s masks – even when we have prolonged contact with patients.
“As far as I know none of the nurses who have been diagnosed have been hospitalised themselves – yet.”
But the insider said: “They are not doing routine testing of staff, which is terrible for us and puts patients at risk as well if we are asymptomatic.
“The virus has spread like wildfire and the whole situation could have been avoided.
“People will test positive but with the correct PPE it wouldn’t have ripped through the ward.
“I am really nervous about speaking out about this but someone has to. It mustn’t be swept under the carpet.”
Last night Lib, Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “We owe it to our hard-working NHS staff on the frontline to give them the very best kit to protect them from this awful disease.”
Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said news of the QEUH deaths was “tragic and worrying”.
A spokeswoman from NHS GG&C said: “We regularly provide messages to all our staff on PPE guidance, social distancing and hand washing and advise all our staff to follow the guidance at all times.”
Last night, a spokeswoman for the Scottish
Government added: “Health care staff who are involved in direct patient care should wear a Fluid Resistant (Type IIR) Surgical Mask (FRSM) throughout their shift, as set out in guidance issued by the Scottish Government.
“The guidance followed by NHS Boards, which has been agreed by the four UK Chief Medical Officers and Chief Nursing Officers, is based on the latest evidence and WHO advice, on the safest way to protect health and social care staff.
“It is imperative that all PPE is worn correctly, in line with this guidance, and that wider infection prevention and control measures are diligently followed.”