Royal College of Nursing calls for more equipment and coronavirus testing for frontline staff
The College has written to the First Minister to ask for more support
The Royal College of Nursing has written to the First Minister to ask her to make sure all of its members have access to enough personal protective equipment to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The letter also calls for frontline medical staff to be made the priority for any new capabilities for testing for the virus in Scotland, so that staff with possible symptoms of Covid-19 know whether they are infected or not.
It follows a similar letter from Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary to the Prime Minister.
In her letter to the First Minister, RCN Scotland Director, Theresa Fyffe writes:
“Our members have been unstinting in their dedication and professionalism to protecting the health and wellbeing of Scotland – they must be supported by the government and health sector in return.
“Our members are coming out of retirement, students are interrupting their studies, and nursing staff are deploying from non-clinical settings, all to support the front-line in the battle against Covid-19.
“We ask you to personally intervene and act to ensure enough supply of PPE and testing for Covid-19 is available for all nursing staff and our colleagues across the health and care system”.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman admits its difficult to keep up with demand for equipment, but insists there is currently enough.
She told MSPs: “my understanding is that in terms of aprons, gloves, masks and eye protection we have adequate supplies, albeit there is a huge challenge on those supplies.
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