Elderly and vulnerable people get PPE thanks to Yorkshire-based firm

The business, part of the Sure Group, is on a mission to residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic with PPE kit home deliveries.

The firm, which offers healthcare services and support to residential homes, nursing homes and assisted living charities, will be transporting hundreds of PPE kits to people in need, as part of a campaign to support vulnerable residents in the region.

Sure Group Managing Director Charles Draper said there was no better way to support people than to pull together as a group to help and added: “In light of the current unprecedented situation, our board held a meeting to discuss how we can help the community as a business.

“We quickly realised that with Sure Healthcare’s supplier contacts and access to PPE provision, there would be no better way to support people than to pull together as a group to provide funding for additional PPE which we will then deliver to the elderly and vulnerable in the region.”

The kits, which include gloves, masks and hand sanitisers, will be delivered personally by Sure Healthcare’s team and will be transported using distribution links from its sister company Sure Logistics, which operates vehicles across the UK.

The initiative has been launched by Sure Group after its directors made the decision to allocate funding to Sure Healthcare to purchase additional PPE supplies that can be used in the community.

While NHS England continues to manage the procurement of PPE in hospitals, access to equipment in the community is currently limited for many.

Sure Healthcare’s director, Will Draper, explains how the business will utilise it’s stock and contacts to make a positive impact in the community: “During this difficult time, we are aware of the higher risks of infection to the elderly and people with existing medical conditions. As a business that works primarily in care environments, we require regular access to personal protective equipment, and we will now be purchasing additional PPE that we can donate in kits to those who need it most in the community.

“We are lucky to also have good supply chain relationships and we have been working with our suppliers to provide these kits and will be distributing them over the next few weeks when we have identified the residents that are most vulnerable.”

Will added: “Healthcare is the foundation of our business and a large proportion of our customers are elderly and vulnerable, so we wanted to do something to show our support in these unprecedented times.

“We are now able to offer this support in the community as procurement teams have fully supported our Care Teams with all required PPE including new full face visors. Our suppliers have assured us that other clients and care providers have caught up on their back log of orders and do not urgently require re-stocking, although if any do, they are welcome to get in touch with us. Therefore, we believe whilst we have our professional bodies fully stocked with PPE, it is time we looked to the community to offer peace of mind to those who do not have access to these basic amenities.”

As well as delivering the kits, Sure Group’s transportation business, Sure Logistics, has been supporting the fight against COVID-19 by delivering hospital beds to several new NHS Nightingale Hospitals that have just opened in the north-west of England.

Sure Logistics received a call from the bed manufacturers requesting two urgent collections from Milton Keynes the following morning. Given the urgency and importance of the loads, the team moved around its delivery schedule to free up two vehicles at short notice.

The firm made deliveries to hospitals the following day in Carlisle, Kendall, Barrow, and Whitehaven, meeting all delivery targets.

If you are or know someone that is vulnerable and would like to apply for a PPE kit from Sure Healthcare, get in contact at [email protected].