University donates thousands of PPE for our staff
Thousands of items of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been donated by the University of Derby to help keep UHDB staff safe while treating patients with confirmed or suspected Covid-19.
The Trust has been overwhelmed by the generosity shown by different businesses in the community in recent weeks, with a wide-range of vital PPE being distributed across our hospitals.
A large amount of gloves, surgical masks, protective suits and cleaning materials have all been donated by the University of Derby, which has made its stocks of PPE available for UHDB staff.
The Trust has also received 10,000 surgical masks from Rolls Royce in recent days, while B&Q responded to a call for protective eye wear by sending boxes of equipment to colleagues at Queen’s Hospital Burton.
Kevin Downs, Executive Director of Finance and Performance, said: “Our staff are doing a phenomenal job caring for our patients, so we need to do everything in our powers to keep them safe too during this outbreak. It is absolutely vital that our colleagues are provided with the Personal Protective Equipment that they need to treat our patients, and we have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure that this is the case.
“Having this kit available for our dedicated staff is essential, so we’d like to thank the University of Derby and other local businesses for their donations and continued support during these unprecedented times. We have been truly humbled to have witnessed the overwhelming show of support we’ve received from the communities we serve.”
The PPE donated by the University of Derby would normally have been used by nursing and allied healthcare professions students, as well as those studying biomedical and forensic science, in the university’s labs, simulated NHS wards and immersive simulation suites.
Professor Kathryn Mitchell DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “It is vital that we provide whatever help we can to support the amazing medical teams in our hospitals, who are delivering the care and treatment to those who have contracted the virus with outstanding bravery and dedication.
“Donating PPE is just part of the contribution our University of Derby community is making. It is what a civic university like Derby should be doing at a time of crisis for us all; using the resources, skills and knowledge we have at our disposal to make effective contributions that have a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives.”