18 Jun 2020

NZMA wants ministry to keep reviewing PPE stocks

From Morning Report, 6:44 am on 18 June 2020

The New Zealand Medical Association says the Ministry of Health needs to keep reviewing PPE stocks and emergency plans, following a sweeping review from the Auditor General.

The review found that in the early stages of the Covid-19 response the Ministry didn't know how much personal protective gear DHBs had.

Once the Ministry started receiving regular information from DHBs about stock levels, it emerged that a significant amount had expired.

The Ministry then quickly moved to set up a new centralised system for procuring, prioritising, and distributing PPE.

NZMA chair and GP Kate Baddock told RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch what it was like for those needing PPE working at the coal face.