‘Horrified’ staff at Barnsley hospital treating Covid-19 patients have been given personal protection equipment 19 years out of date.

On many of the items a sticker has been put over the date to trey and hide it.  Some of FFP3 masks date back to 2001 – but workers have been accused of scaremongering if they bring it up.

Ben Kirkham, GMB Organiser, said:

"Giving horrified workers out of date equipment is disrespectful and downright dangerous.

“Slapping stickers over the use by date won’t make masks work and keep staff safe.

“It's scary enough working in over-stretched, coronavirus-riddled hospitals with colleagues dropping like flies.

“Unless the staff appropriately protected, so many will end up with symptoms there won’t be enough staff left to look after the patients.”