Staff at one of the biggest hospices in Yorkshire need an "immediate solution" to the lack of Personal Protective Equipment.
That's according to Heidi Travis, the chief executive of Sue Ryder, after it emerged that staff at Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley and others across the country have just days worth of PPE left.
The charity says that it has been asked by the NHS to provide additional care for patients with coronavirus symptoms and while they will support where they can, staff are becoming increasingly concerned about contracting Covid-19.
The charity says there are simply not enough masks, gloves and other PPE to protect nurses and other key members of staff.
LeedsLive has approached the Department of Health for a response, but they are yet to get back to us.
The call for more PPE comes after Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel (Labour) said it was "completely unacceptable" that vital care services do not have enough equipment.
Earlier this week, Sue Ryder said it was under threat of closure after donations plummeted in the wake of Covid-19, although the government's promise of a £750 million charity package may help them stay afloat.
However, the chief executive of Sue Ryder, Heidi Travis, has said: "For Sue Ryder’s doctors and nurses, access to significant amounts of additional Personal Protective Equipment is now critical.
'If we are to protect our staff against the spread of Covid-19, an immediate solution is needed'
"As a result of Covid-19 we are expecting an increase in people needing end-of-life care in the coming weeks and months.
"The NHS is asking Sue Ryder to plan to support more patients and yet our medical teams are already providing palliative care for patients with coronavirus symptoms with only enough Personal Protective Equipment for a matter of days.
"This means that Sue Ryder will soon be unable to protect our doctors and nurses from contracting the virus. We will not put our staff at risk and so this will lead to staff shortages at a time when they are needed more than ever before.
"If we are to protect our staff against the spread of Covid-19 and continue to care for patients who are dying, in turn supporting the NHS, an immediate solution is needed.
"With a depleted workforce, there will not be enough staff to run the charity’s hospices and Hospice at Home services across England. This will lead to patients being transferred to hospitals which will put additional strain on the NHS.
"We are willing participants in the coronavirus effort. We want to use our skills, expertise and experience to help in the months ahead, but this will simply not be possible if we cannot access the equipment needed to protect our staff."
