TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady appearing on BBC’s Question Time on Thursday told Tory health Minister Matt Hancock to “tell the truth” about the problems in the NHS in dealing with the Coronavirus.
She said: “There is a worry over necessary tools in hospital for all staff, not just the nurses and doctors, but cleaning staff who require sanitising products.
“We’re not just talking about doctors and nurses, were talking about cleaners and porters and all the other support staff. Without them, our hospitals can’t function.
“Were hearing people need masks, soap, equipment to fight this pandemic.” Ms O’Grady added.
QT presenter Fiona Bruce exclaimed: “They’re telling you they haven’t got enough soap!?”
Frances responded: “We have had that too. This is a team, in the NHS people see themselves as a team, they know they depend on each other, in order to do the job they need to do. So there are real worries. We need to get that sorted fast.”
Referring to the Government announcement that car companies and other engineering companies would be asked to manufacture ventilators and respiratory equipment she said: “I’m really interested in the ventilators point, it’s fantastic if we have got manufacturing companies prepared to switch production, as are unions representing manufacturing workers.
“Let’s be straight with people it’s not as simple as its sometimes portrayed. Switching manufacturing, getting the parts, sometimes from China, it’s not always easy.
“So let’s tell people the truth, we’re grow-ups I think we can take it, we want to know how long will this take.
“In the meantime, how do we get that international cooperation, to get the ventilators to where they need to be most and that takes co-operation. Not point-scoring across nations, but helping each other.”
