Ventilators are essential in the intensive care units across the country. These machines offer a patient a chance at surviving and without them makes it very hard. Currently in the uk there is 5,900 ventilators, according to the Department of Health and Social Care, but might need more than three times as many in the worst-case scenario for the spread of coronavirus.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news...
"It typically takes two to three years to develop and launch a ventilator. So convincing the industry's big players - such as General Electric and Philips - to let their products be made locally under licence is the likely plan of action.
Even if a ventilator used an existing design, he said, it still needed to undergo rigorous testing if made at a new site.
And following that, there was usually a long wait for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to sign off the product.
Under normal circumstances, all this typically takes a year."
British Manufacturing Industry
Despite the decline since the 1970s, when manufacturing contributed 25% of UK GDP, the UK is currently the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world.
According to Make UK (formerly EEF), UK manufacturing currently:
- employs 2.7 million people – earning an average of £32,500
- contributes 11% of GVA
- accounts for 45% of total exports – totalling £275bn
- represents 69% of business research and development (R&D)
- provides 13% of business investment
Therefore as part of the British manufacturing industry we want to do our bit for the country and do whatever we can to help during this pandemic.
We urge all manufacturing business' to help where or if they can as every little helps. WE need to support our country and do whatever we can to protect the citizens of the UK.
We have emailed the government offering our skills/capabilities in manufacturing ventilators where possible, and are now waiting for a response.