GP practice only has 25 face masks delivered amid coronavirus lockdown pressures

Mike Collis says his Birmingham medical centre currently has no access to PPE, despite the fact that they are seeing patients on a daily basis.

Face-to-face doctor’s appointments have been reduced in the wake of Covid-19 at St. Helier’s GP surgery, based at Northfield Health Centre.

But several patients still need to visit the surgery following an initial phone call with their doctors.

Mr Collis, who is chairman of the patient practice group, says that he has tried to help where he can, by donating 15 face shields from a Worcester secondary school using its 3D printer.

However he believes that, for the most part, local GP surgeries have been "forgotten" in the fight against coronavirus, and is pleading for urgent supplies to be delivered to surgeries across the country.

“Just by chance I was speaking to the lead doctor of the practice, and was horrified to hear that they have no PPE, apart from one box of 25 masks. That’s all they’ve had,” he said.

“I managed to source 15 face shields through my daughter from a secondary school in Worcester who are using their 3D printer, and we made a donation to gofundme. But that’s all that they have had.

“And the practice is amazingly good – they’ve got a sterile room on the way in and on the way out to avoid contact.

"But nonetheless, the actual doctors examining people have got nothing really. It just isn’t acceptable. We hear all the time about frontline staff in the hospitals not being given the proper PPE or being short – the doctors and GPs are hardly mentioned. And yet they are our primary care team.

“This isn’t just our practice. It’s every practice in the country really. I think everyone who’s in the frontline – and they also go out to care homes – they must feel concerned for their safety. We shouldn’t be in this place – we’ve known about it for long enough.

“I just want to make people aware of what is going on at grassroots, and hope that someone says ‘oh we’d forgotten about that, let’s get some equipment there quickly.’ And not just to our practice, but to all the practices. We need to look after our front line staff so that they in turn can look after us.”

And Mr Collis’ call has been backed by ward councillor Olly Armstrong, who says he doubts the government’s assertion that there is enough PPE available.

“PPE should be available for all key workers delivering essential services, from schools to refuse workers,” he said.

“In high risk settings, such as care homes, special schools and hospitals, adequate PPE will help to stop the spread, protect our NHS and actually save lives.

“The government have said there is enough PPE. Staff in the hospitals, care homes and GP surgeries say there isn’t enough.

“I know who I believe.”