Schools are helping NHS staff in the fight against coronavirus by donating science equipment such as gloves, gowns, aprons, and face masks.
Kent science teacher Professor Becky Parker started an appeal this morning after her school was approached by a local doctor, and said her school donated gloves and goggles which were “lying dormant” in the science labs.
She tweeted: “Schools have supplies of gloves, goggles, masks in their science and DT departments. We have given our supplies to our local Covid response supply team. Can schools contribute supplies in this way directly for local need?”
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Respondents to the tweet included education and mental health adviser Mike Armiger, who said: “Any gloves, gowns, aprons, face masks, feet cover, disposable bags, sanitiser gel etc. Box them up, write what’s in there on the lid and you can take them to local hospital where they will sanitise them.”
Chilwell School tweeted: “Just collected our gloves and aprons and delivered them to QMC [Queens Medical Centre, in Nottingham].”
Meanwhile, schools’ science advisory service CLEAPSS (Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Equipment) says it is awaiting guidance from the DfE and NHS about any national schemes for donations and what is required in terms of specifications and equipment.
Its website states: “At the moment, we would not advise schools approaching individual hospitals and staff with donations. However, if a request for such equipment is made to your school then you must discuss with them what you have, what it has been used for, and the specification(s) of the equipment.”
Public Health England has provided a link for organisations wishing to donate equipment.
Teachers are also being asked to comment on this story in the Tes Community.
When asked to comment both the NHS, and the Department of Health and Social Care said it was a matter for the DfE.
The DfE said it was a matter for individual schools to decide as to whether they donated equipment to the NHS.
