Trusts are far better prepared to deal with patients injured in chemical incidents following national training but the design and distribution of chemical protective suits and shelters are still a problem, says research published this week in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Birmingham researchers sent a questionnaire to all UK acute hospital and ambulance trusts and organised simulated incidents at two acute trusts in the West Midlands, England.
Research in 1999 showed that most trusts were woefully unprepared to deal with chemical incident patients. Since 2001, The Department of Health has provided them with chemical personal protection equipment (CPPE) ? made up of a protective suit and an inflatable decontamination shelter ? and an accompanying training package.
Of the 55 trusts which responded to the new research, all the ambulance trusts had chemical personal protection equipment (CPPE) and 83% had trained staff in its use. Of the responding hospital trusts, 98% had CPPE and 82% had trained staff to use them.
Following the simulated incidents, staff interviewed were critical of the CPPE suits, saying ?