One million items of PPE distributed to frontline staff in the borough

Members of Rochdale Council's adult care STARS team

Rochdale Council has announced that over a million items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been distributed across the borough of Rochdale to support frontline care staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Safety items provided have included nearly 500,000 pairs of gloves, 250,000 aprons, 244,000 protective masks, nearly 20,000 hand sanitisers, and hundreds of overshoes, bags and cleaning materials.

Thousands of PPE items have also been donated by the local community, with schools, colleges, training organisations and the voluntary sector playing their part.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/133883/local-schools-and-training-providers-create-visors-and-donate-ppe

Leader of the council Allen Brett welcomed the milestone and praised the work that had been done to help and support the care sector.

He said: “It is a staggering amount of PPE that has been distributed by the council and it is a credit to everyone who has played their part in our major caring effort. We were proactive from day one in sourcing PPE and this safety equipment has helped to protect hundreds of carers and vulnerable people from Covid-19.

“It has been a real community approach, but the hard work is continuing. We are still distributing safety equipment and this vital operation will continue over the coming weeks and months.”

Councillor Brett added: “As leader of the council I am very proud of the proactive and robust action we have taken to help and protect the care home sector. I know from speaking with local care homes how grateful they are. I want to thank them all and their staff for their incredible work.”

Any local business wishing to support with Personal Protective Equipment supplies to the council should email hmrccg.rochdalepperequests@nhs.net or call 07794 799003.