NHS Fife grateful for generous donations

Fife’s health service has been overwhelmed by donations of equipment designed to protect patients and staff from coronavirus.

NHS Fife said a number of communities and businesses had handed in certified face masks and other items of personal protective equipment (PPE) to supplement the regular stock it receives through national arrangements.

The board said it was grateful for all donations but it had enough 3D-printed visors, all of which must be rigorously tested to ensure they meet safety standards.

However, staff have particularly welcomed offers of small plastic clips to improve the comfort of face masks. They can also be made using a 3D printer and are not subject to the same regulations as masks and visors.

Director of nursing Helen Buchanan said: “These small clips might seem insignificant but make a world of difference to staff using masks in our clinical areas.

“Many of those wearing masks are doing so for much of the day and these can become uncomfortable as they have to be tightly fitted in order to provide the necessary levels of protection.

“Such a small item makes the masks infinitely more comfortable without impacting on their effectiveness and we are very much welcoming donations of these items.”

The style and dimensions of the clips are available on NHS Fife’s coronavirus website at coronavirus.nhsfife.org

Director of finance Margo Mcgurk said: “The generosity of local people has been overwhelming and our population should be in no doubt that this is very much appreciated by our staff.

“In Fife, we continue to have sufficient supplies of the PPE we require, including face visors.

“While the offers of 3D-printed devices are very much appreciated, we have a responsibility to ensure that any apparatus we use is tested rigorously or we risk placing staff and our patients at risk.”

The process of formal certification cannot be done locally by NHS Fife.

A significant logistical operation is now under way to get PPE to staff and a distribution hub has been set up at Whytemans Brae Hospital.