Coin-makers at the Royal Mint are producing protective visors for NHS staff – but are appealing for help sourcing the materials needed to make more.
Their engineers swapped from making money after coming up with an approved medical design in just 48 hours.
The visors are already being used after being shipped out from the high-security mint in Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The first batch are already in use at the nearby Royal Glamorgan Hospital. But The Royal Mint says it can produce thousands per day if enough raw materials are found.
Bosses at the government-owned mint are now appealing to manufacturers to help source specific plastic so they can make more.
Leighton John, director of operations for the Royal Mint, said: “My sister works for the NHS and it really focuses your mind on the challenges they are facing and the opportunity we have to support them.
“On Wednesday at 9am we knew nothing about medical visors but we set our engineers the task of developing essential medical equipment which could be easily made on site.
“Within seven hours they’d created a medical visor and within 48 hours it was approved for mass manufacture.
“We’ll shortly post the specifications on our website to enable other firms to make them too.
“We are now developing the production line and urgently calling for help to source 1.0mm PET clear plastic which is in low supply across the UK.
“We believe firms will have this in stock and we’d urge them to get in touch with us so we can continue to support our NHS.”
Dr Sharon Hopkins, chief executive of Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Royal Mint for this work.
“This equipment will be vitally important for our frontline staff to protect themselves and others as they work to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is also an excellent example of teams working collaboratively to provide safer environments for our staff and patients.
“The generosity of organisations such as the Royal Mint as well as our communities has been humbling and I would like to thank everyone for their continued support for our staff and the NHS.”
