Government putting all our lives at risk !!!

The Parsimony of this skinflint scumbag 'nasty party' Government is stark !!!

Three years ago when Jeremy Hunt was Secretary of State for Health, he was asked whether all front-line health workers should have full protective wear in the event of a pandemic. That bastard, together with the rest of the scumbags refused to fund the cost of issuing such protective wear. Now we are seeing the results of their austerity, putting health workers lives at risk, and by implication the rest of us too !!!


Coronavirus: Government rejected advice on NHS protective equipment three years before epidemic
Labour says 2017 decision – made when Jeremy Hunt was health secretary – leaves ‘serious questions’ for ministers to answer


A recommendation for all frontline NHS staff to be given protective equipment during a flu epidemic was rejected as too costly, an explosive memo reveals.

Labour said the decision – made in 2017, when Jeremy Hunt was the health secretary – left “serious questions” for ministers to answer about whether underfunding was now costing lives.


In recent weeks, doctors and nurses have protested at a shortage of equipment which has left them at risk of contracting – and spreading – coronavirus on hospital wards.

Now the document shows advisers called for “eye protection for all hospital, community, ambulance and social care staff who have close contact with pandemic influenza patients”.


Either visors or safety glasses should be provided, because of evidence of becoming infected via the eyes when in close contact with pandemic influenza patients, they said.

The recommendation came from Nervtag, a body set up in 2015 to prepare for the new and emerging threat from respiratory viruses.


However, according to minutes of a meeting in June 2017, seen by The Guardian, a health official rejected it because of “the very large incremental cost of adding in eye protection”.

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said: “There are serious questions for the government to answer about why warnings on providing equipment were ignored and dismissed because of underfunding.

“The country came together in admiration and thanks for our NHS staff. They must now be given the protection they deserve.”

A minute from the 2017 meeting shows what is now the department of health and social care (DHSC) feared a “four to six-fold” rise in the cost of protective equipment, arguing there was “a very low likelihood of cost-benefit,” The Guardian said.

Nervtag then changed its official advice, to buy only enough eye protection for” exceptional usage” in higher-risk circumstances.


A spokeswoman for Mr Hunt, now the Commons health committee chairman, said: “Jeremy does not believe he was personally involved in decisions about PPE [personal protective equipment] for NHS staff.”

DHSC defended the decision, saying it was right to take into account “cost effectiveness” and “practical considerations, such as shelf life and storage,” as well as expert clinical advice.


“The government has prepared and stockpiled for an influenza pandemic,” a spokesperson argued.

“The documents clearly state that the scientific evidence did not support a vast increase in procurement expenditure on face masks with integrated eye protection for protection pandemic influenza.”

DHSC has said that more than 15m face masks have been delivered to the frontline, including 24.6m gloves and 1.9m sets of eye protection.

But the British Medical Association said, on Saturday: “GPs around the UK are still at risk because of inadequate protective equipment.”

 

Our government too... I read an article yesterday that they already knew/had been advised numerous times about a ventilator shortage and failed to act.

My mom, who is old, has a cpap machine at least... don't know if it's any substitute for a ventilator, but at least it blows air.

 

We are not prepared for Martians landing without warning Either !

 

Maybe the coronavirus is Martian.

 

I find it unacceptable that the Uk govt (and I'm not pointing the finger at either party here because they're btoh implicated in this) had absolutely no contingency plans in place for just such a crisis as we are now experiencing.
.
Not even basic things such as foood distribution, or basic safety kit for fromtline medical staff who are asked to risk their lives on our behalf.

This is despite the fact that scientists have been saying for many years that it wasn't a case of 'if ' but 'when' as regards the coming of a serious pandemic.

We're actually lucky that CV generally kills only older people and the already compromised (thats me).

Imagine if it killed children en masse.........Only 20,000 dead says the govt.

But the fact remains that our system of government once again proves that it isn't fit for purpose. What the fuck do we pay those idiots to do? Suck up money? Snort up their coke? Piss on all of you and me...Seems they do little else. And as soon as any kind of crisis hits - useless.

 

awe, you want to government to save you...

meanwhile do nothing but insult the world governments..

seriously bro..

 

Errrr, it was so nice not seeing these kind of dumb arse threads for like 5 weeks

Was kind of hoping I would never hear the words party, scumbag and nasty in the same sentence ever again

 

If UFOs do land on earth our biggest threat is America launching nuclear weapons at them. That will fuck us all. America will fuck us all.

 

Anyone bored of Vlad just bitching about the government constantly, I personally think in these unprecedented times they are leading us through this crisis incredibly well. We are possibly going to come through this with as little as a third of the initial predicted deaths due to government planning and action. The biggest danger to life is the number of idiots who haven't listened to the advice given. Fucking keyboard warriors who have nothing positive to say can just do one at this moment in time, we need togetherness not name calling and political point scoring.

 

Well tough, !!! - get used to it, 'cos it ain't gonna stop. I have a right to express my opinions, and if you don't like it, you can always leave. !!!

 

You all need to be more respectful towards your elders.

 

Is he my elder ??? - not that I give a stuff whether he is or not !!!

 

Even if it's like Bill Cosby?

 

So Said The Recently Departed "Soooooze".......



Cheers Glen.

 

Vladimir isn't Bill Cosby. Maybe you should all just be more respectful in general. Obstinant children.

 

I just read the story

How dumb. What a doctor can't afford to buy him/herself some safety goggles?

This is the best the Guardian can come up with?

 

In general, so you do mean Bill Cosby as well

Vlad could have been a lieutenant in the Cheka in WW1

 

You're obtuse.

 

I'm very annoyed at the media at the moment

 

Oh did they call you a knuckle dragger too ???