A&E doctor worried for lack of protective equipment: "We're out for slaughter"
29 March 2020, 10:37
A&E doctor worried for lack of protective equipment "We're out for slaughter"
Clive Bull was speaking to an NHS doctor who was worried for their health and wellbeing as a frontline worker.
Dr Lamis Latif A&E, urgent care doctor and GP for the NHS claimed that testing and protective equipment is nowhere to be seen.
"So many doctors are having to take time off even though they don't have symptoms" she began. This is because of the NHS' policy of self-isolation whereby a worker must leave their post for two week if someone they've been in contact with is found to have coronavirus.
"If we had tests and doctors tested negative then we could get people back quicker" Dr. Latif argued. She told Clive that the speed at which tests are being done are far from satisfactory.
On the subject of retired doctors coming out of retirement, the GP pointed out that they "are only filling gaps of doctors having to self-isolate".
"We're seeing bigger and bigger shortages" Dr. Latif said, and it is vital that action is taken to not only test staff faster, but to protect them sufficiently
"Surely doctors on frontline are most at risk" Clive Bull pointed out.
Dr. Latif told Clive that when the NHS initially got protective equipment, staff were sharing it amongst staff and patients to slow the spread of the virus within hospitals.
"Its got to the point where we've not got enough" she revealed, as hospitals are now operating with little or no protective equipment.
"Its such danger that we're still seeing patients without equipment" Dr. Latif told Clive. She stated that NHS staff are now putting themselves at risk by going to work, such is the shortage of equipment.
Dr. Latif pointed out the irony of the lack of testing is that for staff stuck at home waiting to be tested for coronavirus, "by the time they come around to testing they're already back at work."
