Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that, from 15 June, “All hospital staff will be required to wear Type 1 or 2 surgical masks. And this will cover all staff working in hospitals.

“It will apply at all times, not just the lifesaving work on the frontline. It will apply in all areas except those areas designated as Covid secure workplaces.

“And where the PPE guidance recommends more stringent protection, of course, that remains in place.”

From 15 June, hospital visitors and outpatients must wear face coverings and staff must use surgical masks.

The Department of Health said trusts have all of next week to implement the changes and that it had made NHS England aware of the announcement before it was made public.

But Mr Hopson, he chief executive of NHS Providers, said the announcement by Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Friday was "rushed out" with "absolutely no notice or consultation" of NHS trust leaders.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's the latest in a long line of announcements that have had a major impact on the way the NHS operates, in which frontline organisations feel they've been left completely in the dark, and they're then expected to make significant and complex operational changes either immediately or with very little notice."

He said trust leaders were worried there was not enough strategy or planning and that it felt like "last minute decisions are being made on the hoof that seem overly influenced by politics and that need to fill the space of the Downing Street press conferences".

Mr Hopson's criticism was echoed by the British Medical Association (BMA), which warned there was "little detail" on how the policy would be implemented, where the masks would come from or how outpatients and visitors would be given them.

Consultants committee chairman Dr Rob Harwood said: "Given the lack of PPE supplies throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, it is absolutely crucial that the government ensures there are enough supplies of face masks for staff, and adequate provision of face coverings for outpatients and the public by the 15 June."

Mr Hopson later said many questions remain.

He said: "Potentially 1.2 million NHS staff are now being asked to wear face masks. Does that apply to every single site and building in the NHS where there is no patient-facing activity?

"How many masks as a trust leader will you need? What backup, buffer stock will you need? Have you got enough space to store that stock?

"Where are you going to issue the masks from?

"Are you issuing the supply to every member of staff each day, each week, each fortnight?"

Dr Layla McCay, a director at the NHS Confederation, said: “We don’t know the true impact that coronavirus has had on the NHS workforce and so, while these new measures are welcome, questions will be asked about why they were not introduced sooner.

“This virus is not just infectious in hospitals. Workers across other settings, including general practice, pharmacies, social care and community services, should expect to receive the same level of protection,” she said.

This latest Tory government "edict" seems to have upset the whole NHS:

https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/po...ff-05-06-2020/

Ok,so just where are We the public going to get these PROPER facemasks from..are The Gov's going to issue them to Us..are they going to put them on prescription..or what?...I have a couple of home made ones which make My glasses steam up as soon as I go into a shop..Someone clue Me in please