North East ambulance equipment theft puts crews and patients at risk

Vital personal protective equipment needed by paramedics to keep themselves and their patients safe has been reported stolen from ambulances across the North East.

In four separate incidents this week, ambulance crews have reported the loss of key equipment whilst treating patients across the region. Each is now being investigated and reported to the police.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used by healthcare workers to protect themselves from infection from COVID 19 and it also keeps them from infecting other vulnerable patients. Without it, staff may more easily get infected and ill, impacting directly on the region’s 999 ambulance service and subsequently patients calling for help in an emergency.

As a result, all North East Ambulance Service vehicles will now only carry minimal PPE stock.

Douglas McDougall from the North East Ambulance Service spoke to ITV News Tyne Tees: