Staff forced to cable-tie hand gel dispensers to beds at UHCW to stop thieves

Hard-pressed staff at University Hospital Coventry faced with thefts of dispensers - which are having to be tied down



Hand sanitisers are being ripped from the walls at University Hospital Coventry as thieves target hospitals trying to cope with the massive strain of the coronavirus epidemic.

Thefts of hand gels, toilet rolls and face masks had previously been reported at Warwick Hospital, including in the A&E department, provoking anger among staff.

The use of hand sanitisers in hospitals has been described as a "life and death" matter helping to guard against potentially fatal infections and superbugs amid the escalating Covid-19 pandemic.

However, posts on social media show the problem has also hit the hospital in Walsgrave as widespread panic-buying continues to sweep Coventry and Warwickshire. In one picture submitted to CoventryLive's Facebook page, a dispenser had been ripped from a wall, despite a red 'stop' sign.

Other posts suggested the thefts are a recurrent problem at the hospital, which has introduced new visitor restrictions as it tries to respond to the outbreak.

Another picture shows how staff have had to cable-tie hand sanitisers to beds.



It's not known where the photograph was taken, but a source has told CoventryLive that the measure has been taken at Warwick Hospital.

The thefts come at a time when frontline staff are struggling to cope with an outbreak that has so far claimed 71 lives in the UK. Routine operations are being halted at all NHS hospitals for at least three months in an effort to create bed spaces and relieve some of the burden.

Some people really are sh*ts!

Nothing unusual is it nowadays they ve been doing it for weeks.