Brit boss slams Government for ignoring offer of millions of pieces of PPE for over a MONTH as kit from Turkey delayed
A BRIT businessman tonight revealed Turkey has begged him to urgently supply PPE gear — as an RAF plane sat waiting in that country to pick up vital supplies for our NHS.
The defence logistics boss who revealed the fiasco offered tens of millions of face masks, gloves, gowns and visors to the UK Government over a month ago.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
An RAF plane sits idly on the runway in Turkey waiting to bring back PPE for the NHS[/caption]
A British businessman says he offered tens of millions of face masks, gloves, gowns and visors to the UK Government over a month ago[/caption]
But while his offer has been mired in red-tape, panicked Turkish suppliers have contacted him asking for help to fulfil orders.
It means the Turks are now asking British companies for equipment — while UK firms’ offers of help to ease the desperate shortage here have been ignored or not processed quickly enough.
It has emerged millions of pieces of PPE are being shipped from British warehouses to Germany, Spain and Italy.
Firms here say they have “no choice” but to flog lifesaving gear to supply hospitals in the EU because offers to help the NHS were repeatedly ignored by the UK Government.
The businessman, who does not want to be named but whose company is known worldwide, told The Sun: “It’s absolutely staggering.
“We’ve got contacts all over the world and we’ve spent more than four weeks trying to offer tens of millions of items of PPE to the Government.
Give now to The Sun's NHS appeal
BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.
But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?
The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers.
The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.
We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.
The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM.
No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here
“Then, over the weekend, we get a call from Turkey saying they’re desperate, they need the kit.
“When I heard the Turks were on the phone while our RAF plane was sitting on the runway, I nearly fell off my chair.”
The chief executive hit out as the RAF cargo plane sat idly on the tarmac for a second day in Istanbul.
Tonight it was poised to finally take off carrying only part of the order placed by the UK.
UK purchasing officials have spent four weeks looking at the boss’s offer after he made contact via a Government website.
He said: “The process itself is just a nightmare, just full of red tape with the same forms coming back to you.”
He added: “The problem is that the kit we can get will go.
“At the moment, if we get the go-ahead, we can source everything.
“But the US and other countries are coming in and buying up these production lines really quickly.”
The Sun can reveal ministers are paying foreign firms millions up-front for protective kit — with no guarantee it will arrive on time.
The Turkish supplier which left the RAF plane waiting in Istanbul has banked £300,000 after the Government paid a 30 per cent deposit when placing the 84-ton order last week.
A Government source said: “Suppliers have got us over a barrel because every country in the world is trying to buy PPE.”
Local Government Minister Simon Clarke was today only able to say the Turkish consignment was now expected in full in the “next few days”.
Pictures show piles of boxes containing more than 750,000 surgical masks given to Britain by China[/caption]
The boxes are now being shipped to Europe from a Birmingham warehouse owned by pharmaceutical wholesaler Veenak International[/caption]
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said 8,331 British firms had come forward with offers to supply the NHS[/caption]
The firm is believed to still be finalising the order after initially releasing just one batch of 2,500 gowns for quality checks.
Back in the UK, pictures today showed piles of boxes containing more than 750,000 surgical masks given to Britain by China — but now being shipped to Europe from a Birmingham warehouse owned by pharmaceutical wholesaler Veenak International.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said 8,331 British firms had come forward with offers to supply the NHS, resulting in some “very large-scale” orders.
But many were rejected for the firms being too small or for not having a proven track record — or for being formed only a day or two before asking for a deal.
He added: “I can announce we are working with 159 potential UK manufacturers which are starting to come on-stream.”
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun’s Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply ‘Like’ our Coronavirus page.
Get Britain’s best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – find out more.
MOST READ IN UK NEWS
Staff at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals trust have been told to store used face masks in lunch boxes with drilled DIY air holes.
They were directed to a “laughable” three-minute video by a US medic showing how to make the single-use masks last longer.
Virgin Atlantic said that, since April 3, it has sent five flights to fetch 80 tons of PPE from overseas. Two further flights are due to arrive from Shanghai this week.
Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff
We are urging Sun readers to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.
We are backing a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.
A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.”
SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”
We are asking our readers to please sign the petition below.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk