Coronavirus: Hospital admin worker who died 'was given no sanitizer'

Peter Gough died earlier this month aged 56

A hospital worker who died after contracting coronavirus had complained of a lack of hand sanitizer in his workplace.

Peter Gough, an admin assistant at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, died on 12 May, aged 56.

His friend Paul Saville said Mr Gough most likely caught the virus at work and should have been better protected.

Oxford University Hospitals Trust said it had followed national guidance on protecting staff.

Mr Saville said he had received messages from his friend of 25 years about his concerns, including: "No PPE for admin staff. Not even sanitizer gel as not enough for everywhere in hospital."

The messages, seen by the Press Association, also said there was "no PPE unless on Covid wards" and that admin staff were being "very careful what we touch and wash our hands regularly".

Oxford University Hospitals Trust said: "The levels of PPE are determined by the level of risk and exposure.

"Staff who do not come into direct contact with patients are not considered to need PPE."

Mr Saville and Mr Gough had been friends for 25 years

Mr Saville said additional risk assessments should have been carried out after the deaths of porters Elbert Rico Jr and Oscar King Jr at the hospital last month.

He said: "When something like that has happened where a death has occurred, they need to re-evaluate their operation procedures and re-evaluate the risks."

The trust did not respond directly when asked by PA whether it had changed its policy following the deaths of the two porters.

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