NHS Scotland recently supported a four nations effort to supply critical healthcare items to India as the country continues its challenging fight against Covid-19.
Following an initial offer which included personal protective equipment (PPE), turbine ventilators and consumables, the Indian Embassy has accepted 100 oxygen concentrators, 40 continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilators and associated consumables.
The units were urgently required by the Indian Government as the healthcare system is under extreme pressure. The devices can be used in hospitals, intensive care unit wards or other locations and are ideally suited to treat Covid-19 patients when there are constraints on medical gas infrastructure supply.
NHS National Services Scotland’s (NSS) National Procurement and Health Facilities Scotland worked with the Scottish Government and the UK Government to co-ordinate the supply and transportation of these valuable donations.
Willie McGhee, project manager in Health Facilities Scotland who manages NSS’s home oxygen programme, said: “The oxygen concentrators have come from a contingency supply which had been prepared in readiness for a pandemic of this nature. In Scotland, because of our planning and preparedness, NHS Scotland’s oxygen concentrator supply remains at a good level across all boards enabling us to be in a good position nationally to give generously to support other countries at this important time.”
Support for staff
The situation in India will be impacting on staff across the NHS, even as we move forward in tackling Covid-19 here in Scotland. As well as staff with family and colleagues in India and the wider region, the scenes of healthcare staff grappling with the Covid crisis in hospitals around the country will remind us all of our own experiences working to tackle the pandemic here in Scotland. Staff are reminded that help and support is available from the National Wellbeing Hub – www.nationalwellbeinghub.scot
About the Scottish Government’s Global Citizenship Programme
The NHS Scotland Global Citizenship Programme, which is facilitating the Scottish contribution to the UK wide response, supports effective and co-ordinated health sector involvement in global health.
Professor John Brown CBE, Chair of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Chair of the NHS Scotland Global Citizenship Advisory Board, explained: “An extraordinary effort is taking place right now to support needs in India. The donation of oxygen concentrators and other critical items will help to save lives. We want to thank National Services Scotland, Menzies Distribution and Dolby Vivisol who’ve assisted this effort.”
Further information on the NHS Scotland Global Citizenship Programme can be found at www.scottishglobalhealth.org
How to Help
Staff wishing to donate any further equipment, for example through local charities they are connected with, are asked to ensure that any donation has been checked against the list of technical standards that equipment needs to adhere to, in order to be accepted for the India Covid-19 response. The list, provided by the Government of India, has been shared with the NHS clinical engineering community and is regularly updated.
Staff wishing to donate to India-focused appeals may also wish to consider the following options:
British Asian Trust ‘Oxygen for India’ fundraiser
UK India Business Council
- Details: https://www.ukibc.com/message-from-the-ukibc-chair-call-for-support-for-india-to-tackle-covid-19-second-wave/
- Contact: covidsupport@ukibc.com
Disasters Emergency Committee
- The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) have extended their coronavirus appeal to include India.
- Details, including on how to donate, can be found at: dec.org.uk.
Indian High Commission (equipment)
Staff should refer to the ‘Guidance on Management of Medical Devices and Equipment in Scotland’s Health and Social Care Service’ and the NHS Scotland Global Citizenship ‘Doing it Well Guide’, both of which provide advice on the donation of surplus equipment to low and middle income countries. Both documents are available at: www.scottishglobalhealth.org
