Conclusion 22

There have been numerous reports in the media and from professional bodies on shortages of PPE for clinical and social care workers during the pandemic.48 The Department told us that the stock of PPE for health or social care has never run out at a national level.49 It explained that the main challenge it faced was to distribute the right PPE to the right place on a timely basis, noting that the Chief of the Defence Staff, who helped with the logistics, described it as the biggest logistical challenge he had seen in his 40 years of military service.50 The Department noted that before the coronavirus pandemic, national purchasing of these types of item was running at around 35% to 40% of the total, with other purchasing being done on either a regional or a local basis. It told us that this was sufficient outside crisis time, but was not able to cope with the surge in demand during the crisis and it therefore has had to put in place new arrangements in a very short time.51 43 Qq 59, 74; C&AG’s Report NHS financial management and sustainability, para 8 44 Q59 45 Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, The NHS nursing workforce, Session 2019–20, HC 109, 3 March 2020, paras 2 and 11 46 Qq 60, 73 and 74 47 Q69 48 Examples include: The Telegraph, PPE crisis: 15m protective goggles pulled over safety fears, 9 May; British Medical Association, BMA survey reveals almost half of doctors have relied upon donated or self-bought PPE and two thirds still don’t feel fully protected, 3 May; The Guardian, UK care homes scramble to buy their own PPE as national deliveries fail, 9 May 49 Qq 2–8 50 Qq 4, 6–7 51 Qq 2, 4, 12. 14 NHS capital expenditure and financial management