Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Between February and July 2020, the Department ordered 32 billion items of PPE.
Conclusion
Between February and July 2020, the Department ordered 32 billion items of PPE. The Department told us that it was seeking to avoid shortages in the event of a potential second wave and had deliberately looked to build up a stockpile equivalent to four months’ usage across all lines of PPE. It also told us that the model this was based on was cautious and that other types of usage would increase. However, the NAO found that if PPE was to be used consistently at the rate it was used between March and July 2020 at the peak of the pandemic, about 503 million items per month, the PPE ordered could last around five years (with variations across different types of PPE). We asked how the Department would ensure that its stockpile was properly managed so that none of the PPE would be wasted or go out of date. The Department assured us that it was committed to ensuring this was the case.17
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2.2 The department purchased personal protective equipment (PPE) in line with modelled demand covering; all potential customer groups and relevant categories of PPE, worst-case scenario assumptions guidance. 2.3 The government has increased UK manufacturing capability so UK firms can meet future demand at short notice. 2.4 The department now holds a four-month stockpile of COVID-critical PPE to mitigate against demand fluctuations. A flexible UK logistics network has been developed, using long and short-term storage facilities. The department has a network of warehouses that hold, pick and distribute PPE. These draw stock from an array of short notice, onshore storage facilities, together with our offshore warehouses in China. 2.5 Stock is tracked, monitored and managed at a product-level across the UK to meet upcoming requirements; a rolling stock take is conducted in core warehouses. Processes are in place to review the quality of all the PPE the government has bought. This process determines whether products are suitable to be released to the frontline. Any that cannot, are subject to further investigation. 2.6 The department will make information available in due course confirming the future approach for the stockpile management of PPE. 2.7 The department is reviewing its countermeasures for disease outbreaks and pandemics, including PPE. This review will revisit the recommended specifications and volumes based on expert advice. It will build on the experience of COVID-19 to recommend procurement, storage, monitoring and distribution models to ensure that stock is in good quality and can be rapidly deployed in sufficient quantities when needed.