Humber-based Community Interest Company HFR Solutions CIC – which helps organisations improve safety through the delivery of emergency management solutions and the preparation for and response to emergencies, is supporting the region’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. 

The provision of personal protection, facial coverings and other protective equipment for frontline care workers have made headline news over the past few weeks, as the country seeks to support our healthcare workers with the necessary levels of PPE required to undertake their duties in a safe and controlled manner.

Just like various other local organisations, HFR Solutions have been supporting the region’s response to the current Covid-19 situation. They have been delivering face fit testing of respiratory protection equipment (RPE), such as masks, to over 300 frontline nurses and carers, who deliver critical frontline care and essential services for residents based at various North Lincolnshire Clinical Commission Group (CCG) care home facilities throughout the Goole and North Lincolnshire regions.

The NHS is supplying different masks and helping to plan the testing schedule with HFR Solutions. Approximately 12 face fit tests were undertaken daily, in a safe and controlled manner, at care homes such as Phoenix Park Nursing Homes, Lindsey Lodge and Ironstone Clinic for 3-4 weeks.

Jeff Owen, HFR Solutions comments “The face fit test follows the HSE OC282/28 Guidance document (Fit Testing of Respiratory Protective Equipment) and involves employing several qualitative and quantitative exercises to test and identify if the correct respiratory protection equipment has been selected and is adequate quality. The test also verifies if the mask fits the wearer, controls exposure to substances which have potentially serious health consequences and provides protection from particles and aerosols depending on which type of mask is to be donned.”

Nick Granger, Managing Director, HFR Solutions CIC, commented “Health care professionals working within the region’s care homes provide a vital service and it is essential that they can perform their duties safely and with complete peace of mind that they are wearing the correct personal protection including face masks which are fitted for them.

“As part of our community interest initiatives and vision to make the Humber region a safer place to live and work, we are delighted to support the region’s COVID-19 response by providing North Lincolnshire CCG and Lindsey Lodge frontline nurses with face fit testing of masks.” 

Scunthorpe-based British Steel is playing a pivotal role in supporting this initiative by kindly supplying the face fit testing equipment to allow HFR Solutions to deliver the test.

Ruth Kitching, North Lincolnshire CCG comments “We appreciate the face fit testing support which HFR Solutions have provided to our frontline nursing and care teams at care homes throughout the region over the past month or so”.