UK defence contractor Babcock joins drive to provide thousands of ventilation machines for NHS to treat coronavirus
By ITV News Security Producer Dan Howells
UK defence contractor Babcock is the latest company to confirm their involvement in a government-backed drive to start providing the thousands of ventilation machines needed by the NHS to treat the coronavirus disease, ITV News can reveal.
In a statement, Babcock said it is working with a “leading medical equipment company” to design, manufacture and supply ventilators for the NHS.
With input from respiratory medicine experts at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital, Babcock was able to build a fully functional prototype “in a matter of days”, which it claims will meet “necessary clinical requirements."
The call from the government to boost ventilator supply came last week, when manufacturing firms across the UK were asked to pitch in if they could help.
Around 3,000 companies were understood to have responded, including those from the automotive and aerospace sectors.
As well as trying to increase the number of ventilators being built in the UK, the Government is also trying to purchase units from abroad and has struck a deal to acquire more from private hospitals.