A UNIVERSITY has donated essential safety equipment to NHS frontline workers amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Staff from Bournemouth University sent boxes of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the distribution centre for NHS Trusts, which send the equipment where it is needed.

They also hope to 3D-print face visors and loan its ventilator machine in support of the NHS.

Within a week, both the Faculty of Health and Social Science and the Faculty of Science & Technology (SciTech) had coordinated equipment loans, volunteers, and the collection and delivery of PPE.

Gloves, masks, surgical gowns, hand gel, hand sanitiser and safety glasses were among the items donated.

In February, after talks between academic staff and their collaborators in the NHS, SciTech loaned four polymerase chain reaction machines, a technology which can help detecting the virus and is considered vital for testing.

Deirdre Sparrowhawk, HSS Faculty Director of Operations, said: “We are arranging with Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to loan a ventilator and anaesthetic machine and are waiting on where they require this to be delivered.”

“Many of our students are key workers, as well as some staff and will be working on the frontline. Any help we can give in this crisis is incredible. Both faculties’ staff and Estates staff have made this possible.”

Members of BU’s Faculty of Science & Technology are continuing their efforts to help and have offered a list of biomedical scientists and engineers and their expertise to the NHS for support in testing and other areas.

Richard Glithro, a SciTech Demonstrator, is producing face visors in the 3D printing lab after requests from NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group.