With how dire things are likely to be for both the UK and the EU, any contraction in the ecconomy for either side will be lost and buried in the fall out from Coronavirus.

On the basis that the UK has refused offers of help from the EU in sourcing PPE and Ventilators, it seems pretty certain that despite all the other issues, Brexit is indeed still going ahead at full pace, after all, there isn't anything else that's too important to deal with

Tour de France tot ake place in August...

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it - there was absolutely and without any shadow of a doubt, a shortage of PPE; my own supplier told me that what stock he had coming in from abroad (mostly China and India) was requisitioned for the NHS and Armed Forces, so in the very best case scenario, there was stock, but it was being held centrally - in which case, there has been a massive failure of allocation and distribution.

And for the record - I don't know a single private provider who is expecting this stuff for free - we just want to be able to acquire it, so our staff can stay at work and not infect the people they support.

It doesn't seem so bearing in mind as of a few days ago we had 2,400 spare capacity in critical care across the system, and 2,600 yesterday. The 'Nightingale' hospitals alone have been an astounding achievement - actually largely implemented by the army, who did most of the planning and project management.

All ignored by the left, who only a few weeks ago were praising China for building a similar hospital in similar time.


That - again - doesn't necessarily point to a problem with supply, but distribution. A massive upsurge in demand by across the NHS and care systems (i.e., people like you) meant the existing network simply did not have the capacity or logistical capability to cope. That's why the army has been assisting with delivery and experts in high-demand rapid distribution such as Amazon Logistics have been brought in.

That said, I don't deny there have been some problem with supply. As I'm sure you're aware many billions of items were purchased by the public and other nations across the world in only a matter of weeks. Then, some of the main producers of PPE and other ICU equipment - China, India, S Korea, Japan etc were not only in lockdown, but most if not all blocked exports of these equipment in their own interests. China took over foreign-owned plants (3M in Shanghai being one) to block exports. Even Switzerland stopped exports. Google it, the information is out there. You ignore these facts.

Yes, the NHS should rightly receive priority over everything else. With respect - people going in to the NHS are sick and require immediate medical care, and in the current system those going into hospital are ALL urgently sick. In the care system of course there are the vulnerable and elderly, but not all are necessarily sick. Obviously - that's not to say the care system should be denied PPE so don't jump to that conclusion, but there have to be priorities and when there's a global emergency not everyone is going to have everything they need at every point in time.

Believe me, I'm not blase about the risks exposure to CV19 pose. People in my circle are dying, my family has been in near total isolation for nearly 5 weeks.

I can assure you it was no red herring

You didnt reply to my reply to yourself on the other thread.



I'm not making a statement about how this happened, whis to blame (if anyone) but it did and is still happening
I would give you more credit than being someone who uses Fake News as an argument

I'm not in opposition to any of what you say. I am however critical of the way that allocation and distribution was managed; for all the logistical expertise that was apparently brought to bear on this, there was still a failure to deliver what was promised to care settings - including the NHS. And that failure is even more remarkable if stock was sitting in centrally controlled warehouses, but not being delivered where it was needed.

I expect the supply to improve by next week - I am told that China has lifted export restrictions, so that will make a big difference; the issue now is profiteering and hoarding - some suppliers are charging 3-400% more for items of PPE, and some large providers are stockpiling. My own relatively modest order, which arrived on Friday, was lifted from the order of a 'fellow' provider, who had ordered 1 million of each item - I asked my supplier to take my order from it, and tell their CEO to contact me if he had an issue.

And for the record - this is nothing to do with left or right; I'm in a front line business, and trying to reflect the reality of what my 1800 key workers are facing. I would be equally critical of any failure, regardless what colour government was in charge.

I didn't reply because it anecdotal and cannot be verified - the government/NHS have said they have plenty of ventilators and capacity and I am not hearing anything the noise about PPE in the NHS that we were at the beginning in fact the opposite.

Absolutely fine
I expect you to dismiss any other anecdotal evidence in support of any of your opinions moving forward.

I suspect you won't, as you haven't let itbstip you in the past.

Really ???

Why on earth have "we" just ordered so many more, are they just for show.

As for PPE, your comments would be hilarious if the issue wasn't so utterly desperate - you're obviously on the wind up or stupid

Jesus.

NHS staff saying they do not have enough PPE.

Directors of adult services saying the lack of PPE is shambolic.

Sal saying what is the problem. I don’t know what they are all On about