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FAMILIES ACROSS WIRRAL EMPLOYED MAKING
VISORS FOR FRONTLINE NHS STAFF
2019 Queens Award for Enterprise recipient,
Richardsons Healthcare Ltd has been manufacturing
patient support systems from their base in Bootle for
over 40 years. The Liverpool based manufacturer has
discovered a new initiative to supply the NHS with
PPE.
The kitchen tables of many Wirral residents are now
taken over with the foam, high quality acetate and
elastic. These three components make it a simple, albeit
time consuming process however so many people are
really wanting to make a difference.
More than 60 families in isolation across Wirral are
being paid to produce full-face visors for use by frontline
NHS staff treating coronavirus patients. With so many people unable to work or students home
from university it seemed to make sense to rope in as
many as possible. Michael couldn’t believe it when they
put out the initial ask.
They are producing the vital PPE equipment on
behalf of Bootle-based healthcare equipment supplier,
Richardsons Healthcare, which has switched from
making operating table mattresses and accessories to
full-face visors. Having expected a few of their friends to say ‘yes’ they
were delighted with the number that responded to the
challenge. The kits are prepared by the team in Bootle
and delivered in boxes of 500. In most cases they are
ready to be collected the next day.
At the outset of the pandemic Richardsons managing
director, Michael Gould, was faced with the prospect
of furloughing his 20 staff as orders for the mattresses
dried up overnight. However, he was then approached
by one of his customers asking if they were able to switch
production to making the full-face visors required by
the NHS. Mr Gould said: “The only hurdle was the
production of such a large quantity required in a very
short time.” Mr Gould added: “We are specialists in making class 1
and 2 medical devices and are able to use that knowledge
to provide a high-quality product with traceability. The
staff are continuing to safely work and are not a burden
on the state.
Mr Gould found the answer came from his own
community of the Wirral. Over 60 families currently in
full isolation are making the visors from their homes.
74 wirrallife.com
“People are being paid to make the visors and to be
able to make a real contribution in the battle against
COVID-19. And, most importantly, front line medical
staff are getting the personal protective equipment
that they so desperately need. All the profits from the
manufacturing of the visors will be donated back to the
NHS.”