PPE: dentists need access to the 'best available kit'
Dentists and dental hygienists and therapists have joined a chorus of organisations calling on the government to provide all healthcare workers with the correct personal protection equipment (PPE) to prevent work-related fatalities caused by COVID-19.
The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) is leading the campaign calling the proper application of an across-the-board safe systems of work and PPE to halt the number of fatalities associated with work-acquired COVID-19.
The groups have laid out points they want government to address, including:
The British Dental Association (BDA) and the British Society of Dental Hygiene & Therapy are both supporting the call, which acknowledges that, whilst the new PPE guidance published by the government 'is an improvement' this should be minimum protection.
Mick Armstrong, chair of the BDA, said: 'Too many NHS workers are being sent to the frontline inadequately protected. We desperately need a joined-up approach to PPE. Irrespective of official guidelines, all health professionals should be able to access the best available kit.'
The collaboration is hoping to raise awareness of the risks facing healthcare and other workers in the UK as well as globally.
You can sign up this petition to offer support here – https://www.som.org.uk/civicrm/petition/sign?sid=1
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