Finally! Government has placed order for 10,000 ventilators to be made by Ford, Airbus and Rolls-Royce in fight against coronavirus
- Rush to get ventilators into Britain’s hospitals sees car manufacturers pitch in
- The NHS has little more than 8,000 ventilators at its disposal, says Michael Gove
- Government expected to announce an order for 10,000 more on Monday
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Car and plane manufacturers are pitching in to curb the coronavirus pandemic by building ventilators for British hospitals.
The NHS has 8,000 of the mechanical breathing devices to hand currently but tomorrow it is expected to announce an order 10,000 more.
The devices, which are crucial to people with lung failure, will be built by a consortium of companies including Ford, Airbus, Rolls Royce and McLaren.
Dick Elsy heads up Ventilator Challenge UK consortium, which is expected to be creating 10,000 ventilators for the British government to use in NHS hospitals. The government is expected to announce the order on Monday
The CoVent ventilator is Dyson’s design for a piece of medical kit that will help the NHS treat patients who have been diagnosed with Covid-19.
The companies are part of the Ventilator Challenge UK consortium, speaking in the Sunday Telegraph today, it’s leader Dick Elsy, said: ‘This project is a testament to the fantastic people who, in a little over a fortnight, have come together to provide a solution to the challenge we are facing.’
This order would be in addition to the 10,000 Dyson said it was making earlier this week, as the government tries to create 30,000 to treat Covid-19 patients.
Speaking on Sunday, Michael Gove said: ‘We’ve done a deal with Dyson, which means that – provided all the appropriate tests are passed – we can have an additional 10,000 ventilators.
Sir James Dyson confirmed his company would make an initial order of 10,000 ventilators in the UK, subject to testing, the Government is expected to make an announcement on Monday on its 10,000 ventilator order with Ventilator Challenge UK
‘There are other companies, from McLaren to Rolls-Royce and others, who are changing the way in which they manufacture in order to join in the national effort to increase the ventilator capacity available.’
McLaren said its Formula One car-making, data and electronics operations are fulfilling a number of tasks to help with the crisis, including making components.
It’s understood McLaren Automotice is designing bespoke hospital trolleys which ventilators are fixed to in hospitals.
Downing Street did not offer an immediate comment when approached.