With intense supply chain pressures affecting the ability of healthcare professionals to source the equipment, the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has appealed to builders’ merchants across the UK to provide much-needed personal protective equipment for NHS staff.
The move is part of a national initiative co-ordinated by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), comprising the major trade associations involved in the industry.
The BMF’s merchant members operate from more than 5,450 branches nationwide and the vast majority will stock PPE.
In a bid to tackle the shortages, the BMF is appealing for merchants to donate items including FFP3 masks, full-face visors, safety goggles and glasses, hazmat/full body suits and hand sanitiser in a bid to tackle the shortages.
John Newcomb, chief executive of the BMF, said: “The unique nature of the BMF network puts them in pole position to support this initiative.
“At the moment we are assessing what stock levels are in place through our merchants.
“We will then work with the relevant supply chain, through the CLC initiative, to get any items we receive to healthcare professionals. These are unprecedented times, but we can work together to pull through.”