The machines that could save your lives: Medical equipment firm ramps up production of ventilators as UK demand surges amid coronavirus pandemic
- The Government is in need of thousands of ventilators from medical supply firms
- Companies such as OES in Witney have adapted designs for a speedy process
- Many other engineering firms are turning to ventilators to help national effort
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Medical equipment firms making much-needed ventilators to help coronavirus patients are ramping up their production.
Supply companies such as OES in Witney are even altering their designs so they are easier to make and more user friendly.
They hope the more efficient process will allow the company to meet any shortages in hospitals.
Engineers at OES in Witney, a medical supplies firm, are working hard to produce ventilators for the NHS
The company is altering its designs to ensure they can be used as soon as possible
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has hailed the ‘unbelievable’ response from the industry desperately trying to help the overwhelmed NHS.
He wants to avoid the situation in Italy where in some hospitals, only patients under 60 are being given ventilators due to a shortage.
The Cabinet minister said there had been ‘thousands of offers’ for help constructing the machines, which are essential for preventing victims succumbing to the respiratory disease.
He said he hoped approval could be rushed through for producing them ‘at scale’, and they would be in use within ‘a matter of days’.
The company hopes the new efficient process will allow the company to meet any shortages in hospitals
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has hailed the ‘unbelievable’ response from the industry
The NHS currently has access to 8,175 ventilators, including 691 from private hospitals
Teams at the University of Oxford and King’s College London are also working hard to get ventilators in hospitals as soon as possible.
Researchers will need to demonstrate the design’s reliability and safety in order to get regulatory approval for the opensource design.
Researchers will need to demonstrate the design’s reliability and safety in order to get regulatory approval for the opensource design.
However, the team anticipate that manufacture could begin across the country within 2–3 months.
The Government hopes to have 5,000 within a month and 30,000 in total for the peak of the crisis
Companies including Dyson, JCB, Airbus and Nissan are working hard to produce the sought-after machines
Many other companies are helping with the effort including engineering teams who do not usually work on medical supplies.
The NHS currently has access to 8,175 ventilators, including 691 from private hospitals and a few more from the Ministry of Defence.
The Government hopes to have 5,000 more within a month and 30,000 for the peak of the crisis.
Companies including Dyson, JCB, Airbus and Nissan are joining the effort and working hard to produce the sought-after machines.