GPs can now order visors from Government PPE portal | News Article

The Government has now added visors to the personal protective equipment (PPE) GP practices can order from the central emergency portal.

It has also increased the rations of other items GP practices can order per week from the portal, which the Government is offering in partnership with eBay, Clipper Logistics and Royal Mail.

Following the changes, GPs with fewer than 8,000 patients can order 100 IIR masks, 200 visors, 200 aprons and 400 gloves (200 pairs) per week.

Meanwhile, GPs with 8,000 patients or more can order 200 IIR masks, 200 visors, 400 aprons and 800 gloves (400 pairs) per week, updated Government guidance said.

PPE ordered via the portal is free of charge and delivered within 48 hours for orders placed before 1pm; and 72 hours for orders placed after 1pm.

However, GPs can still only access one pack of PPE per week from the portal.

It comes as the Government revealed last week that the Treasury approved £15bn to be spent for Covid-19 PPE procurement following the March budget.

It also comes as the Public Accounts Committee has given the Department of Health and Social Care two months to report back with a plan to ensure PPE provision during a second Covid-19 spike.

The influential group of MPs said they were ‘extremely concerned’ by PPE shortages faced by NHS and care workers during the first wave of the pandemic in the UK.