Jaguar Land Rover is making 14,000 visors a week for healthcare workers, it has been revealed today (May 9) as the government looks to deflect criticism of its record over the supply of personal protective equipment.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that more than 200 possible manufacturers had been identified to produce the equipment (PPE), with some of them contracted to make over 25 million items and provide 12 million square metres of fabric for gowns, gloves and aprons.
The announcement was made following criticism of the government over PPE supply and after 400,000 medical gowns that had been imported from Turkey ended up being impounded because they weren’t fit for use by the NHS.
The Royal Mint is also among the companies that have been helping to meet demand for equipment for NHS staff and care workers, as reported by Car Dealer.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘In continuing to tackle this global pandemic, we outlined the need for a great national effort to ensure our frontline NHS and social care workers continue to have all the equipment they need.
‘The support from businesses who accepted this challenge has been phenomenal.
‘International demand for PPE has never been so high, and we are now working with over 1,000 businesses and establishing a British manufacturing base, which will see tens of millions of extra items of PPE delivered to the frontline in the coming weeks alone.’
The DHSC said the support by the companies wasn’t costing the taxpayer any extra.
Lord Paul Deighton, Hancock’s PPE adviser, said: ‘It’s been fantastic to see so many companies come forward and offer their support for this vital undertaking.
‘However, there’s still more that can be done, and I encourage any company with the capacity to step up and join the response.’
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