File on 4 Investigates

Unmasked: Stories from the PPE Frontline


Listen Later

After the Covid-19 pandemic hit, reserves of personal protective equipment quickly dried up. Stories about frontline staff lacking the kit they needed made headlines night after night and photos of nurses wearing bin bags for protection began circulating on social media. In response, the government began hunting down new supplies just as global demand surged. It started using emergency powers to award PPE contracts worth tens of millions of pounds without opening them to competition, leading to claims that some companies were favoured because of their political connections. Phil Kemp investigates what the government got for the £12.5 billion it spent on PPE and uncovers concerns about the quality of some of the kit that was bought. The Department of Health and Social Care said it had been working tirelessly to deliver PPE to protect health and social staff throughout the pandemic with nearly eight billion items delivered so far.

Producer: Anna Meisel

Editor: Gail Champion

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

File on 4 InvestigatesBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

32 ratings


More shows like File on 4 Investigates

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

376 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

863 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

Money Box by BBC Radio 4

Money Box

40 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

113 Listeners

F1: Chequered Flag by BBC Radio 5 Live

F1: Chequered Flag

790 Listeners

Crossing Continents by BBC Radio 4

Crossing Continents

75 Listeners

Moral Maze by BBC Radio 4

Moral Maze

73 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

75 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

745 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

The Slow Newscast by The Observer

The Slow Newscast

170 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

The Story by The Times

The Story

257 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,600 Listeners

Radical with Amol Rajan by BBC Radio 4

Radical with Amol Rajan

48 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

54 Listeners

Shadow World by BBC Radio 4

Shadow World

34 Listeners

Top Comment by BBC

Top Comment

51 Listeners

The Crime Agents by Global

The Crime Agents

43 Listeners