The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) yesterday (January 10) announced that it will continue to supply PPE to frontline healthcare staff free of charge until 31 March 2024.

 

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) confirmed that this includes pharmacy teams in England, who can continue to order PPE from the NHS PPE portal.

 

However, the DH said that although the scheme has been extended until March next year, it may finish sooner if stocks run out.

 

 

"Until stocks are depleted”

 

“The government has announced its decision to extend the central, free provision of PPE to the health and care sector for protection against COVID-19 by up to one year to March 2024 or until stocks are depleted,” the DH said.

 

PSNC added that it is “expected” that ordering will be “significantly reduced” by March 2024 and “as such any further PPE requests will incur a charge”, with the DH to provide more information “in due course”.

 

A DH policy paper on the scheme, updated yesterday, added that providers should “only order PPE based on current demand”.

 

The DH “will not accept returns of unused or expired PPE”, while “order limits will continue to apply and order volumes will be monitored”, it said.

 

It will publish further information about when it expects to “run out of specific types of PPE” by April 2023, it added.

 

 

Supporting frontline workers “a priority”

 

The DH said: “Supporting frontline workers remains a priority for the government.

 

“NHS trusts, primary care and adult social care providers will continue to receive PPE free of charge to ensure staff and their patients are protected against COVID-19.”

 

It added that the continued provision comes amid “a challenging period of global inflation and cost of living pressures” and will “protect frontline healthcare staff, the elderly and vulnerable [and] reduce pressure on the NHS”.

 

It comes as NHS England last month warned that its fears of a COVID-19 and flu “twindemic” this winter season have “been realised”.

 

The DH last year announced it would extend the free PPE scheme until the end of March 2023 after an “overwhelming” majority of respondents to a consultation came out in favour of the scheme.