[Updated] How beauty salons can donate personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS during coronavirus

Due to the recent outbreak of coronavirus, the NHS is desperately short of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers. Here’s how beauty salons, mobile beauty therapists, nail techs, aesthetic clinics and suppliers can help.

Although NHS strategic incident director Professor Keith Willett has written to health bosses to explain that additional PPE is being distributed, with 2.6 million face masks and 10,000 hand sanitisers sent to NHS Trusts last Thursday, the risk of shortage is especially important given the virus’s expected upcoming peak.

Professional Beauty Group is urging the beauty, hair, spa and aesthetics communities to come together to help. Many salon owners, clinic owners and suppliers are already donating spare PPE to the NHS to help protect the lives of those who are working and being treated there, and you can too.

Below, we’ve compiled a guide on how exactly your business can help the NHS through this challenging time:

 

What PPE does the NHS need?

-       Fluid-repellent surgical masks

-       Disposable gloves

-       Alcohol hand rub and sanitisers

-       Protective eye wear

-       Long-sleeved plastic aprons

-       Plastic shoe covers

-       Disposable hygienic bags and boxes.

 

How can I donate PPE equipment to the NHS?

Depending on where you’re based, there are lots of ways you can safely drop off equipment to benefit the NHS.

 

Nationally

There are multiple drop off points across the UK and all NHS facilities are accepting donations. In order that the activity doesn’t spread the virus, Donate Your PPE has been set up to conordinate efforts across the UK.

Salons, spas and suppliers based anywhere in the UK can also contact their local NHS Trust. You can arrange a drop by contacting the emergency planning officer, details of which can be found on NHS Trust websites.

Here are just a few local examples:

Central London

Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells

Bridgewater

West Hertfordshire

Shrewsbury & Telford

 

Warwickshire

Nail technician Katie Barnes, of Katie Barnes Training Academy, is currently coordinating a PPE collection in the Warwickshire area. “I’ve been in contact with several medical professionals and hospital trusts and they want me to get together a collection rather than individuals dropping off lots of different orders,” said Barnes.

“I will distribute these accordingly to different medical professionals and hospitals, otherwise they will get overloaded with deliveries which won't help to stop the spread.”

If you’re interested in donating, email Katie Barnes at [email protected]

 

Cambridgeshire

The University of Cambridge is helping the fight against coronavirus in a number of ways, including coordinating donations of PPE for frontline health staff.

If you’re based in the Cambridge area and have PPE to donate, visit their website and fill out the form.

 

Manchester

Following a call-out for help from Wendy Nissen, a 44-year-old nurse at Royal Salford Hospital, salons, clinics and suppliers are being encouraged to drop off spare, unopened boxes of PPE at local NHS hospital main entrances and receptions in the Manchester area.

“In just a few hours of sharing the message on Facebook, I have had more than 200 shares and people contacting me to say they have delivered PPE to their local hospitals,” she told Manchester Evening News.

 

 

How have beauty brands been helping the NHS with PPE so far?

 

Clarins

Beauty brand Clarins are in the process of distributing 50,000 kits, containing Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, Day and Night Creams and Shower Gels, to frontline NHS staff.

Delivered directly to hospitals nationwide, the kits are being gifted in the hope that “this small gesture will help soothe dry skin and provide just a little sense of calm in what is otherwise an incredibly difficult time”.

Dermalogica

Skincare brand Dermalogica has donated more than 5,000 Soothing Skin Kits to NHS staff and has secured more for the coming weeks. The kits have been donated to WECU – a newly formed charity which is getting these key products into the hands of those on the front line.  

The Hut Group

The Hut Group, which has brands Espa and Illamasqua in its portfolio, is donating 25 tonnes of protective equipment to health care workers in the Manchester area. The first batch of the 3.5 million essential items will be shipped out this week. Worth £2 million, the shipments include 150,000 face masks, 950,000 surgical gloves and 184,000 face shields.

Nouveau Beauty Group 

Karen Betts, founder of Nouveau Beauty Group and KB Pro, has donated stock of face masks, gloves, hand sanitisers and disinfectant wipes to the NHS following the temporary closure of her business. In total, 100,000 items will be donated across the UK to frontline workers and care homes.

Oasis Beauty

Day spa and skincare clinic Oasis Beauty have donated 6,000 gloves to Irish health workers via the Irish Spa Association in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sweet Squared

Sweet Squared will be supporting consumer magazine Vogue’s Hands On Appeal by donating 200 of its CND Spa Gardenia Woods Lotions. These products will be given to NHS staff, many of which will be suffering from dry, sore hands due to constant sanitation.