The desperately short supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) has forced the NHS to outsource to Burberry and Barbour – while deliberately ignoring ASDA’s less fashionable ‘George’ line. An average surgical gown costs less than £20 but the price spirals when you add in the accessories and eau de parfum. One NHS worker described the dilemma: ‘It’s a life and death scenario – can I wear a leopard-print, cotton gabardine gown, with a gingham silk, chiffon, pussy-bow blouse?’
A Health official defended the decision: ‘Burberry are competitively priced, but it would be a scandal not to match the plaid gown, with the £500 Dalmatian Print Calf Hair Pumps’. The downside to using top fashion designers, is that there will be no PPE for ‘over-sized’ NHS staff. Standard nurses will be 5'9", with 34" chest, 24" waist and 34" hips – even the male ones.
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