The requirement for personal protective equipment (PPE) to manage the COVID-19 pandemic has put significant strain on global supply chain for masks, gloves, aprons, gowns and face masks.
Conscious of the difficulties that the island has been experiencing in obtaining these essential supplies, local business Credit Suisse has donated 3,000 surgical masks to manage Guernsey supplies before more orders arrive.
Guernsey’s Health Service has placed orders for surgical masks across 6 separate supply chains (including the NHS supply chain) for nearly 250,000 face masks. The first delivery of these arrived at the weekend.
Paul Annegarn, Credit Suisse CEO & Guernsey Branch Manager said:
“The whole community is working together to support each other through these unprecedented times and Credit Suisse is not alone in investigating ways in which local businesses can help manage our local response to this pandemic.
“We are pleased to be able to support our local health and care workers by being able to source and donate these essential masks at this time.”
Helen Ridgwick, Senior Procurement Manager, States of Guernsey said:
“We are so incredibly grateful to Credit Suisse for their generous donation of 3,000 surgical masks.
“Our staff are working tirelessly to manage these essential supplies of PPE for those health and care workers across the Bailiwick including community nurses, residential and care homes and emergency services as well as the staff based in the hospital.
“This kind donation has made it significantly easier to manage our supplies whilst we wait for orders to arrive in the Bailiwick.”
If any other local businesses would like to donate any supplies of PPE they may have been able to source to support the island’s response to this pandemic, they can contact the States of Guernsey procurement team by emailing Helen.Ridgwick@gov.gg. The team will then establish how these donations can be accepted whilst adhering to Public Health Services advice on essential travel.
It is essential that individuals or companies do not turn up at the hospital to drop off any donations unannounced.
