Senior doctor pleads for safety equipment to stop more NHS medics dying

30 March 2020, 07:48 | Updated: 7 June 2023, 08:56

Senior doctor responds to first coronavirus death of NHS medic

The President of the Doctors' Association has told LBC the government needs to supply the correct safety equipment to stop more medics dying from coronavirus.

Amged El-Hawrani, a 55-year-old ear, nose and throat consultant, died on Saturday at Leicester Royal Infirmary after testing positive for Covid-19.

It comes as doctors claim they don't have the right equipment to protect themselves from coronavirus, despite pledges from the government.

Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden, an intensive care doctor and president of the Doctors’ Association UK, told Nick Ferrari that more doctors will die unless they get proper equipment.

She said: "It's always incredibly difficult for the profession to hear about the tragic loss of one of our colleagues. It's hit all of us hard in the medical profession.

"The reality is that, when we look at other countries, we knew that some of us were going to get sick, we knew that some of us would sadly lose our lives to this virus.

"When we look at Italy, just yesterday we were told that 50 doctors had died in serving the frontlines in the Covid pandemic.

"I don't think any of us are going to walk away from the frontlines, we've got a moral duty. This is what we're trained for and we're all ready, willing and able to put ourselves in harm's way.

"All that we're asking is that we get the appropriate protective equipment to be able to do so to reduce that risk to us and our loved ones."

Dr Batt-Rawden revealed she had heard of medics creating makeshift gowns out of bin bags and having to buy their own facemasks from Screwfix.

The government has enlisted the army to deliver the equipment to all doctors and hospitals around the UK.