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Dudley's Labour councillors call for more PPE in borough

A petition has been launched by Labour councillors in Dudley to call for more personal protective equipment in the borough.

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Councillors have called for more PPE equipment in the borough

Members of the party have urged residents to back their request to Government chiefs in a bid to protect frontline workers.

It comes amid a global shortage of the equipment – with Dudley Council launching an appeal to business and organisations in the area.

Councillor Judy Foster, deputy leader of the opposition Labour Group, said: "We are very concerned about the lack of provision of Personal Protective Equipment for our community health care workers across our borough.

"We are concerned for both carers in nursing and residential care homes and we are also concerned for the informal carers across the borough who provide a vital, caring role for family members and vulnerable neighbours."

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Councillor Foster said people should sign the petition to put more pressure on the Government and to save key workers.

"We are saying to Dudley people, 'you and the rest of the country are behind our health and social workers and we know you believe that front line staff should have access to PPE, so show them all your support by signing our petition'".

It comes after bosses at Russells Hall Hospital insisted that there is "sufficient" PPE for staff after reports from staff working on isolation wards that they had been told to wear uniforms again due to a shortage of scrubs.

Councillor Cathy Bayton, the group's public health and adult social care chief, said carers in the borough felt "inadequately" protected.

She said: "To date the provision of PPE not consistent with World Health Organisation guidance, the supply is not consistent and regular and there is no provision for informal carers.

"This is increasing the demand on an already overstretched workforce and is putting workers lives at risk.

"Carers in Dudley feel inadequately protected and vulnerable to infection.

"They are telling us that they feel unable to carry out their job properly and protect themselves and their patients."

The call comes after bosses at Russells Hall Hospital hit back at claims PPE had run out in the hospital, saying their stocks were "sufficient".

Visit https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/supply-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-to-key-workers-in-dudley to sign the petition.

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