What plans does the Welsh Government have to issue guidance to front line NHS and care workers on the reuse of personal protective equipment?
On 17 April, guidance on reusing PPE owing to supply shortage in England was produced by the Health and Safety Executive and Public Health England.
It is the consensus view of Public Health Wales, Public Health Scotland and Public Health Agency Northern Ireland that current advice on PPE remains extant; that is, single use PPE should not be reused/reprocessed and that reusable PPE should be reprocessed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
At this time we have nearly 50 million items of PPE in our central stores with significant new orders arriving in the near future. Therefore, Welsh Government do not plan to issue guidance on the reuse of personal protective equipment (PPE).