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1. National headline figures

These statistics show the latest number of PPE items which have been issued to the health and social care system in Wales.

Main results

  • Since 9 March 2020, the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP) has issued over 266 million items of PPE to the health and social care sectors in Wales. Over 123 million of these were issued to the social care sector.
  • In the seven days to Sunday 9 August 2020 over 12.5 million items were issued.
Table 1: Number of PPE items issued, up to 9 August 2020
Item Since 9 March In the seven days to 9 August
Aprons 49,783,500 2,500,725
Body bags 7,984 310
Eye protector 1,602,758 100
Type I and Type II masks 506,500 25,200
Type IIR masks 71,443,786 2,437,135
FFP2 masks 83,230 3,000
FFP3 masks 1,597,817 53,600
Face visors 2,218,596 47,657
Fit test kits and spares 4,793 91
Gloves 133,567,250 7,437,500
Gloves cuff 1,015,200 30,200
Gowns (fluid-resistant) 975,339 21,644
Gowns (other) 255,402 10,569
Hand sanitiser 194,973 7,205
Hand wipes 3,133,350 143,300
Respirator filters 22,176 0
Respirator hoods 100 1
Total 266,412,754 12,718,237

Source: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

The reporting of PPE items issued is based on individual units, except for:

  • gloves where a unit is reported based on the unit size of a pack
  • hand sanitiser where the unit is a bottle regardless of size

Respirator Filters and Respirator Hoods have been added to this list of personal protective items issued as part of the pandemic response. 

2. Quality and methodology information

This data is management information provided to the Welsh Government by the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP). NWSSP procures and distributes PPE for the health and social care sectors in Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government.  We are publishing this to provide a weekly summary of PPE items issued while it remains relevant to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This data has not undergone the same level of quality assurance as official statistics and the data may be subject to future revisions.

Data includes stock issued from NWSSP only and does not include any stock procured directly by the NHS or local authorities. The data will include PPE procured directly by NWSSP as well as PPE distributed to NWSSP by the UK Government. It reflects a snapshot at a point in time of a dynamic position.

This release reports on PPE items issued since 9 March 2020 as this represents the point at which the current reporting arrangements were established.

Data included in this release is correct at 8pm on 9 August 2020.

National Statistics status

These statistics are not National Statistics. However, as far as has been practicable, they have been collected and validated in accordance with the pillars and principles within the Code of Practice for Statistics. We continue to develop the data collection and quality assurance process to improve the data.

These statistics have been produced quickly in response to developing world events.

Well-being of Future Generations Act

The Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The Act puts in place seven wellbeing goals for Wales. These are for a more equal, prosperous, resilient, healthier and globally responsible Wales, with cohesive communities and a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Under section (10)(1) of the Act, the Welsh Ministers must (a) publish indicators ('national indicators') that must be applied for the purpose of measuring progress towards the achievement of the wellbeing goals, and (b) lay a copy of the national indicators before the National Assembly. The 46 national indicators were laid in March 2016.

Information on the indicators, along with narratives for each of the well-being goals and associated technical information is available in the Well-being of Wales report.

Further information on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

The statistics included in this release could also provide supporting narrative to the national indicators and be used by public services boards in relation to their local well-being assessments and local wellbeing plans.

Next update

This is currently a weekly statistical release. It will be published at 9:30am every Thursday. We will review the frequency in line with changing user need.

The next release will be on Thursday 20 August.

We want your feedback

We welcome any feedback on any aspect of these statistics which can be provided by email to kas.covid19@gov.wales.

3. Contact details

Statistician: Abi Woodham
Telephone: 0300 025 1053
Email: kas.covid19@gov.wales

Media: 0300 025 8099

SFR 112/2020