Document Six
Health Report
Update on the quality review of PPE
Date due to MO: 16 July 2020
Action required by:
20 July 2020
Security level:
IN CONFIDENCE
Health Report number: 20201186
To:
Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister of Health
Contact for telephone discussion
Name
Position
Telephone
Sue Gordon
Deputy Chief Executive, COVID-19 Health section 9(2)(a)
System Response
Kelvin Watson
Manager, COVID-19 Health and Disability section 9(2)(a)
Supply Chain
Action for Private Secretaries
under the Official Information Act
Return the signed report to the Ministry of Health.
Date dispatched to MO:
Released
Document Six
Update on the quality review of PPE
Purpose of report
This report provides an update on the quality review of personal protective equipment (PPE), with
talking points to enable an oral update to be provided to Cabinet on 20 July 2020.
Summary
•
In June 2020, the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) provided an update to the former
Minister of Health on the work underway to review the quality of al Ministry-funded
PPE sourcing (not from our regular supply arrangements) from 1 January 2020 [HR
20200932].
•
At that time, four masks and one isolation gown were identified as being at higher risk
of noncompliance following an initial assessment, with a mix of issues, including
incorrect product labelling, possible product noncompliance and/or questions
regarding certification validity. The five products covered 16.7 million items of PPE,
worth $44.9 million.
•
As the review progressed, and more information was verified, five masks (totalling 4.9
million masks) were placed on hold on 12 June 2020 as a precautionary move, as they
had already been distributed. Four of the five items have since been confirmed as
compliant, and have been released from hold.
•
section 9(2)(h)
e Official Information Act
nder
Relea
Health Report: 20201186
2
Document Six
Recommendations
The Ministry recommends that you:
a)
Note that of the five PPE items placed on hold, four have now been released
Yes/No
from hold
s
e
ct
c)
io
Agree to provide an update to Cabinet on the quality review of PPE, on 20
Yes/No
n
9(
July 2020
2)
(h
)
Sue Gordon
Hon Chris Hipkins
Deputy Chief Executive
Minister of Health
COVID-19 Health System Response
Date:
under the Official Information Act
Released
Health Report: 20201186
3
Document Six
Appendix 1: Talking Points
The Ministry of Health identified a risk that some PPE was not compliant
•
In June 2020, the Ministry provided an update to the former Minister of Health on the
work underway to review the quality of al Ministry-funded PPE sourcing (not from our
regular supply arrangements) from 1 January 2020.
•
Four masks and one isolation gown were identified as being at higher risk of
noncompliance following an initial assessment with a mix of issues, including incorrect
product labelling, possible product noncompliance and/or questions regarding
certification validity. The five products covered 16.7 million items of PPE, worth $44.9
million.
•
As the review progressed, and more information was verified, five masks were placed
on hold on 12 June 2020 as a precautionary move, as these masks were in circulation.
These five masks covered 4.9 million items of PPE.
o On 19 June the Ministry released three of the masks from hold, as we had been
able to confirm their certification and compliance. In late June the Ministry also
confirmed the certification of the fourth mask; these have recently been formal y
released from hold.
o The isolation gowns were confirmed as compliant in mid-June.
section 9(2)(h)
cial Information Act
•
Non-compliant PPE has been a significant global issue over the last few months
u
•
New Zealand has been relatively lightly affected so far, although there is stil the
potential for some items to be non-compliant. The Ministry’s focus is on ensuring that
if we do receive non-compliant PPE that it does not end up in circulation. Other Five
Eyes countries have had to undertake significant compliance and fraud investigations,
and the Ministry has been involved in these conversations from a New Zealand
perspective.
•
Al incoming masks to New Zealand are now put on immediate quality control hold
Released
while further due diligence is undertaken to ensure that the landed masks are as
expected and that certifications can be validated before being released into circulation.
•
The height of the pandemic and the global y distressed PPE supply chain in March/April
meant that countries (including New Zealand) needed to move fast to place orders in
hours as opposed to the usual weeks that would be taken to enable due diligence
checks and clinical engagement to be undertaken. These means that there are likely
limited remedies available if any PPE is found non-compliant.
Health Report: 20201186
4
Document Outline
