Medical student is ‘suspended from shifts after refusing to work with coronavirus patients without adequate PPE’
- The healthcare assistant (HCA) said workers refused to go into a Covid-19 room
- The 29-year-old said a disagreement took place with on-duty sister on April 14
- The agency workers was suspended from shifts at Eastbourne District Hospital
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
A medical student has claimed her shifts were suspended after she refused to work with coronavirus patients without adequate PPE.
The healthcare assistant (HCA), who will remain anonymous, said seven workers refused to go into Covid-19 rooms at Eastbourne Hospital on Tuesday April 14 because they felt unsafe wearing aprons and surgical masks, as reported by Metro.
The agency worker said a disagreement took place with the on-duty sister, who said there was not a problem and that people had been wearing aprons and surgical masks all day.
But the 29-year-old said that ‘patients are confirmed [to have coronavirus], the [Public Health England] guidelines are to wear an FFP3 mask and full gown, goggles and visor upon entrance into a red zone.’
The healthcare assistant (HCA), who will remain anonymous, said seven workers refused to go into Covid-19 rooms at Eastbourne Hospital (pictured)
She claims the sister then said ‘why are you fighting’, which left her feeling ‘flabbergasted and appalled.’
It comes after ongoing concerns from medical professionals that they might be forced to stop treating patients if adequate PPE is not provided.
The 29-year-old told Metro she feels particularly vulnerable to the disease because she is a black woman, and evidence has emerged that shows the virus disproportionately affecting the BAME community.
Figures published by NHS England show that of 13,918 patients in England who tested positive for Covid-19 at time of death up to April 17, 16.2 per cent were BAME and 0.7 per cent had mixed ethnicity.
The statistics emerged days after a review was announced to examine what appears to be a disproportionate number of BAME people who have been affected by Covid-19.
The HCA later went to see the site matron to get them the equipment they needed.
She told Metro.co.uk: ‘I just thought it was very irresponsible working as someone in a managerial position to put me in that position where I might have contracted it and it could be detrimental to my health and I could pass it onto someone else.
‘I would rather contract it by accident or by not knowing as opposed to pushing myself right into the thick of it.’
The following day she received an email saying her shifts at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust had been cancelled.
The reasons given were that ‘this HCA refused to wear PPE in line with National Guidance’ and was ‘reported to have shouted at the nurse in charge and refused to work.’
In response to the email she said: ‘I refused to work had I not been provided with adequate PPE and all seven of us that were there refused to work, so I’m sure she has singled me out because I stood my ground.’
A spokesman for East Healthcare NHS Trust told MailOnline the HCA was provided with equipment in line with national Public Health England Guidance.
The HCA later uploaded a video to Twitter showing her unwrapping PPE she had purchased for herself from eBay.
On Twitter she said: ‘We shouldn’t have to order our own PPE it should be provided. So much for “keep me safe to keep you safe “@MattHancock should retire.
The HCA later uploaded a video to Twitter showing her unwrapping PPE she had purchased for herself from eBay
‘This is clinical negligence at its highest and members of staff will continue to die.’
A spokesman for East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust told MailOnline: ‘Members of agency staff are not directly employed by the Trust.
‘However they are required to follow exactly the same Public Health England guidance as other members of staff when it comes to wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
‘This means wearing specific equipment in specific situations or specific areas of our hospitals.
‘Members of staff in areas treating Covid-19 suspected or positive patients are provided with fluid resistant surgical masks, gloves and aprons in line with national Public Health England guidance.
‘The agency Health Care Assistant was provided with this. She requested additional PPE and this was also provided.
‘We recognise that this is a really worrying time for many members of staff and it’s important that we keep them and our patients safe by following our Trust values as well as the correct national guidance when it comes to wearing PPE and caring for patients with Covid-19.