Martin Foster Branch Secretary, Trudi Tew Branch Representative GMB Beds County Branch along with Mick Lancaster GMB Regional Organiser, have delivered vital Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all staff, including GMB members working in local authority care homes across Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough Council.
After receiving a number of calls and emails from GMB members working in these care homes who are concerned about the future supply of PPE, GMB Beds County Branch took matters into their own hands and have sourced and purchased additional backup supplies of PPE, which the branch plan to deliver themselves.
The items being delivered to each local authority run care homes are face masks, gloves, aprons as well as a full face visor for every member of staff.
Martin Foster GMB Beds County Branch Secretary said:
“Staff including many GMB members who work in local authority care homes across Bedfordshire, come to work every day to care for their residents. They are putting themselves at risk, not knowing if they have or will contract this deadly disease themselves and take it home to their loved ones.
GMB is here to ensure that work is safe, and if the government does not provide adequate funding to local authorities in order to provide our members with proper PPE, we will step in and do whatever we can to help.
We want to ensure that all our members who leave their home for work, return at the end of their shift safe and well.
With the PM’s message of encouragement for workers to return to work this week and the mixed message on face coverings, GMB believe this will put even more pressure on the supply chain of PPE for frontline key workers.”
Trudi Tew GMB Central Bedfordshire Representative said:
“Although both local authorities are doing their best to keep up with the demands for PPE for its staff, undoubtedly the lack of funding and shortage of PPE will make it more difficult in the coming months to supply the demand. Therefore, the GMB Beds County Branch have taken it upon themselves to help our members and all staff working in these care homes stay safe at work.
GMB Beds County Branch has sourced the PPE equipment locally, with help from the enterprising DT staff who work at a local secondary school in Leighton Buzzard. Jacqui Hargreaves a teacher at the school, and her family have spent every spare minute making and donating full face visors for local hospitals and frontline workers.”
Contact:
Gordon White, Regional Organiser GMB London 075 8305 0973
Martin Foster, GMB Beds County Branch Secretary 079 6095 7839
Posted: 15th May 2020