More than eight million items of PPE have been issued by our regional hub, making a huge contribution to the fight against coronavirus.
The Wirral -based Infection Control Measures Hub has operated around the clock seven days a week since April 2, to oversee the distribution of PPE across the Liverpool City Region.
Items of PPE issued by the hub have been used to prevent the virus spreading in our major institutions, including hospitals, schools, care homes and emergency services, allowing them to move safely towards operating in the ‘new normal’.
Since April 2, the hub has delivered:
- 2,400,000 gloves
- 3,640,000 masks
- 1,350,000 aprons
- 180,000 pieces of eye protectors
The hub was set up by Merseyside’s Local Resilience Forum, a partnership of key public and private sector bodies brought together to respond to emergency situations.
The hundreds of organisations the hub has supplied to include:
- The Liverpool City Region’s six local councils (Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, Halton, Sefton and St Helens)
- The NHS and Hospital Trusts
- Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service
- Merseyside Police
- Mersey Tunnels Police
- Children’s homes
- Emergency opticians and dentists
- Funeral services
- Hospices
In Wirral alone the hub has delivered 1.9 million pieces of PPE to care providers, schools, nurseries and children’s homes.
As well as getting supplies through Wirral’s own procurement service and a Merseyside joint purchasing initiative, many local groups have generously donated PPE for the Hub to distribute, including The Engineering College, North West Ambulance Service, Merseyside Police and universities in Liverpool.
Local businesses have also donated much needed supplies, including M53 Ford, APS Group, Stollies and Buggsy's Pizzeria. Many other local firms wished to donate anonymously.
Several local schools have also got involved and to date have made a massive contribution, manufacturing and donating more than 6,000 face visors.
The schools include:
- St John Plessington
- Hilbre High
- Woodchurch High School
- Birkenhead Park School
- South Wirral High
- St Mary’s Catholic College
- Upton Hall FCJ
- Ridgeway High School
- St Anselm’s College
- Co-op Academy
- Wirral Grammar for Girls
- Calday Grange Grammar
- Birkenhead High
Cllr Pat Hackett, leader of Wirral Council, said: “The serious problems the whole country faced in securing and distributing PPE at the start of the pandemic are well known and should never be underestimated or forgotten.
“But through the hard work and expertise of a small team, backed by generous support from partners and local businesses, we were able to turn that situation around and establish an operation that is being held up as a national exemplar.
“Their efforts to get PPE to where it’s needed quickly has stopped countless transmissions of this terrible virus and will continue to save many lives.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what has been achieved by everyone at the Infection Control Measures Hub as it is yet another example of how Wirral has pulled together and led the way.”
Although the work of the hub is set to continue for at least a few more months, reduced demand and the availability of alternative supplies means the centre will soon be able to operate on more standard business hours, bringing to an end the incredible four month non-stop shift.
