THE largest companies providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to NHS and the care sector say they are prioritising NHS England and English care workers over Scotland.
The sensational and shocking claim was made by Donald Macaskill, chief executive of industry body Scottish Care, speaking on BBC Radio Scotland this morning.
He told Kaye Adams: “We are facing an additional problem and that is that the care home sector and the care sector had traditionally ordered PPE from various sources. The four largest companies in the UK last week said they were not sending to Scotland and their priority was going to be England NHS and then English social care providers so within two or three days we’ve had a massive dry-up of procurement into Scotland and that’s had an impact, a really serious impact on our care homes and home care.”
Adams queried Macaskill in somewhat bizarre fashion: "So you don’t have any unique Scottish sources? But is the stuff there to be got?
Macaskill then praised the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland for stepping in and Adam moved the discussion on. He later took to Twitter to emphasise his point, tweeting: “Some of the major suppliers have indicated that PPE will be prioritised first for NHS, then care providers in Eng and Wales then Scotland. We tweeted this last week. Scottish suppliers of PPE v stretched. V grateful to @NHSNSS filling void.”
Some of the major suppliers have indicated that PPE will be prioritised first for NHS, then care providers in Eng and Wales then Scotland. We tweeted this last week. Scottish suppliers of PPE v stretched. V grateful to @NHSNSS filling void. @scotgov @scottishcare
— Donald Macaskill (@DrDMacaskill) April 13, 2020
Some people took to social media to register their disgust at the favouritism being shown by the companies.
Elgolddave tweeted that it was "interesting to hear" the claim.
It was interesting to hear that supplier in England have diverted to #NHSEngland & social care providers and fulfilling Scottish orders.
— dave (@elgoldave) April 13, 2020
It’s good that @scotgov @ScotGovFM @JeaneF1MSP have agreed to step in re PPE. That’s lost in all the debate re PPE
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