Construction companies who have shut down for the foreseeable future as a result of the coronavirus outbreak are being encouraged to donate spare personal protection equipment (PPE) to help tackle a shortage within the NHS.
Dundee asbestos removal and demolition contractor Gowrie Contracts Ltd donated 100 face masks and 100 protective boiler suits to the infectious diseases ward at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee this week.
Having been “overwhelmed” by “kind words” following the gesture, the company’s Martin Henderson has now said to any other companies in the Dundee area who can donate spare PPE that his business is willing to collect and deliver from their yards and offices.
In particular, they are looking for the highest protection FFP3 disposable masks.
Mr Henderson told The Courier: “We shut down in line with government advice and rather than sitting on the shelf gathering dust we thought we’d donate them to the NHS to be used.
“We got in touch with the NHS and asked what kind of masks it was just to be sure they were suitable. When we told them what they were they were delighted to get them and just wanted them as soon as possible really.”
Mr Henderson said that from a business perspective, it had been a “bit confusing” when the UK government said construction sites could stay open and the Scottish Government said they couldn’t.
But morally, to protect their 34 employees and the people they are working with, they decided to close down on Tuesday.
“We have done what we can about health but we are very concerned about finances,” Mr Henderson added.
“It’s difficult to get this business interruption loan. The banks don’t even know about it – don’t have forms for us to fill in. The government says it could be the end of April until the money comes in but that’s just a guideline.”
The Dundee construction firm’s generosity comes as pharmaceutical company Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) which has a plant at Montrose said it was “deeply committed” to supporting global efforts to tackle Covid-19.
Asked by The Courier if the company would be donating PPE equipment to bolster local NHS demand, the company highlighted the company’s global efforts around donation, volunteering and research – with PPE also a consideration.
Using GSK science and technology, the company is helping develop potential new vaccines and new medicines.
“GSK is donating $10 million to The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, created by the UN Foundation and WHO, to support WHO and partners to prevent, detect, and manage the pandemic, particularly where the needs are the greatest,” a spokesperson said.
“Amongst its objectives, the fund will enable distribution of essential supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline health workers.
“GSK is also donating surplus reagents to support diagnostic testing to several countries and is preparing to do the same for surplus PPE.
“GSK has also initiated new volunteering processes for people working at the company, to enable those with medical expertise to provide support to frontline health workers, whilst at the same time ensuring we protect supply and development of our medicines and vaccines.
“Initiatives have also been started to use salesforce personnel to help with delivery of PPE and testing equipment, and for specialists, such as procurement leaders, to work with national governments on developing supply chains.”
Meanwhile, other forms of generosity from the business community include a Glasgow online travel retailer whose sales have dropped 95% in the past two weeks which has donated 5,000 pairs of compression socks to help Scots nurses combat Covid-19.
Worth £125,000, the colourful knee-length socks from Trtl will help 5,000 acute nurses in six hospitals across Scotland fight fatigue in the coming weeks.
And the firm has pledged to give away 5,000 more in the next seven days to nurses in London, bringing the total to 10,000 (£250,000).
The award-winning company, which employs 30 people in Glasgow, had stockpiled thousands of the socks in advance of its peak summer season.
But with sales stalling due to the Covid-19 pandemic and little prospect of travel bans being rescinded any time soon, CEO Michael Corrigan decided to use them to support frontline nurses in his home city, across Scotland and in worst-hit London instead.
Asked by The Courier if a co-ordinated approach was being taken by the government to commandeer spare PPE equipment from relevant businesses, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are working hard with NHS National Services Scotland and partners across the four UK nations and globally to ensure continued supply of PPE.
“In addition, the COVID-19 manufacturing working group, which coordinates the work of the Scottish Government, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and the NHS, is working with a range of manufacturing businesses across Scotland who have come forward to provide support in the manufacture of key items required by our NHS – including ventilators, face masks, surgical gowns and hand sanitiser.”
