Coronavirus: Welsh businesses ‘essential’ to PPE supply

Welsh firms meet the challenge of producing PPE in case of a second wave

A “can-do” attitude among businesses in Wales has made them an “essential” part of the PPE supply chain during the pandemic, it has been claimed.

The director of a manufacturing firm which started making PPE in March said firms in Wales had been motivated to create a “sustainable” supply chain.

The head of procurement for NHS Wales said businesses will be needed in the event of a second wave.

In April, PPE supplies in Wales were down to enough for “just a few days” .

The admission came from the Welsh Government at the height of the pandemic as international competition for PPE meant delays in supply.

Across the UK there were also issues with the quality of stock provided from abroad.

Mark Roscrow, head of procurement for the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, said having Welsh businesses involved in production had provided “a greater sense of assurance”.

“We don’t have to stock as much as we normally would have done because we have a product we can rely on on our doorstep” he said.

He estimated there was now five times the level of PPE stock held by NHS Wales when compared with the start of the pandemic.

Welsh Government figures show stocks stood at almost 130 million items at the end of July, and last week it announced hundreds of millions of pounds of extra funding to boost levels further.