PPE continues to be a trending topic that affects all of us: whether we are healthcare professionals battling Covid-19 on the NHS frontlines, or members of the public watching the daily news updates.

It’s a subject that has dominated the media in recent weeks, often for negative reasons. That’s why, at ProMedical, we have been heartened to discover the work of Medical Supply Drive UK, a volunteer organisation working to donate as much PPE as possible to frontline staff. Their coordinated efforts and determination have meant that they recently passed the milestone of 75,000 items of PPE delivered. It’s a remarkable achievement!

Med Supply Drive UK was set up four weeks ago by Dr Jasmine Ho. At first, the team consisted of a small group of volunteers: NHS doctors who were undertaking research, or on maternity leave. From there, the organisation has now grown to 180 volunteers. Team members come from diverse backgrounds, including NHS doctors, medical students, individuals from the art, film and beauty industries, as well as IT and consultancy.

We spoke to Head of Media and Communications Dr Lailah Kara-Newton about her decision to become part of the non-profit organisation.

“As an NHS Doctor on maternity leave, I would hear stories from the frontline from my colleagues,” she says. “It was devastating to hear of the lack of personal protective equipment that they had and how they were risking their lives to care for us during this pandemic. I decided to start collecting face masks from my colleagues in the aesthetics industry and posted them to NHS Doctors, Nurses and Midwives.”

It was after her personal efforts totalled 1200 donated items of PPE that the original four members of Med Supply Drive UK got in touch and asked her to join.

Since then, successes have included the delivery of 900 full-body suits to an Intensive Care Unit at a hospital in London.

Lailah says “the work we put into Med Supply Drive UK is all worth it knowing the NHS staff we all rely on are safe.” There have been donations from unexpected places, too. Lailah comments that the Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife trust donated “a whole spectrum of items”, which goes to show how many businesses and industries have idle PPE that can be put to use by healthcare professionals in dire need of it. 

The Medical Supply Drive website contains more information regarding donations, should you have PPE items available. ProMedical joins Lailah and the team in urging you to do so if you are able. Donations of PPE really do make a difference – and have, so far, come from a whole range of sources from museums to TV drama sets.

If you don’t have access to PPE supplies but still wish to help, there are a number of ways to get involved. Med Supply Drive is looking for seamstresses or other talented individuals who could manufacture face shields. Equally importantly, you can donate to the team’s current PPE fundraiser, more information here.