WEEKLY MEETING
Tue, Apr 21st 2020 at 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Virtual meeting on the internet
The general impression was that Zoom functioned well and there were no issues with the medium. We must be getting used to it! A correction to last week’s minutes: next year’s membership subscriptions are not due until after 1st July (not June as stated).
Participating in this Virtual Meeting were:
Cathy Adamson
Don Allan
John Bonington
Sandy Davis
Libby Elliot
John Ewan (watching only: no camera or microphone)
Roddy Greig
Andre Hawryliw
Andrew Kennedy
John Kerr
Paul Northway
Willie Lang
Apologies: David Jack, Ronnie Black
The first topic discussed was the local manufacture of medical safety visors by Stag Laser Craft in Inverkeithing in response to a PPE request apparently originating from front line staff at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. The request had been flagged by Isabel Clifford (Area 6 Assistant Governor) based on a crowd funding initiative (GoFundMe) which had raised about £3,500 for the purchase of a material called PETG used in their laser printers. Stag can produce 1 visor every two minutes at a cost of 50p/each, and the Dalgety Bay Rotary Club has already donated £500.
Our club was very supportive of the initiative but was puzzled why the NHS could not procure these visors directly, especially if they were to an NHS approved design (there is one on the Internet for laser printing purposes). It was acknowledged that these visors were probably in very short supply and that care homes, in addition to hospitals, would also have a significant requirement. Therefore they would always find an urgent need despite the vagaries of the NHS. The club therefore unanimously agreed to allow Willie Lang (NHS) and Don Allan (care homes) to spend up to a total of £500 for the manufacture of visors for either application.
It was noted that there are other similar local initiatives for the manufacture of scrub hats and material face masks.
In current circumstances and in the absence of regular Rotary meetings it was felt that members might like to donate to such charitable causes through the club. A figure of £20/£25 per month during “lockdown” was considered a guide, but would be entirely voluntary as certain members have already made alternative arrangements to food banks, churches and other voluntary organisations. If you are donating via the club, the Internet payment details were sent out.
Please submit any topics for discussion at next week’s virtual meeting which is scheduled for the same time (7pm) next Tuesday, 28th April. The Zoom log in details have been emailed.
Post Scriptum: There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of an extremely shambolic procurement process within the NHS itself. See for example this hyperlink: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/4ba5c8f2-8401-11ea-a771-e3cbdc13ee70?shareToken=11f6f91974ed0a38cdb4bed3765455cc
Concluding thought: we are all 17 years old again! Petrol is cheap, we can’t legally buy drinks in a pub, and we’re grounded.
Participating in this Virtual Meeting were:
Cathy Adamson
Don Allan
John Bonington
Sandy Davis
Libby Elliot
John Ewan (watching only: no camera or microphone)
Roddy Greig
Andre Hawryliw
Andrew Kennedy
John Kerr
Paul Northway
Willie Lang
Apologies: David Jack, Ronnie Black
The first topic discussed was the local manufacture of medical safety visors by Stag Laser Craft in Inverkeithing in response to a PPE request apparently originating from front line staff at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. The request had been flagged by Isabel Clifford (Area 6 Assistant Governor) based on a crowd funding initiative (GoFundMe) which had raised about £3,500 for the purchase of a material called PETG used in their laser printers. Stag can produce 1 visor every two minutes at a cost of 50p/each, and the Dalgety Bay Rotary Club has already donated £500.
Our club was very supportive of the initiative but was puzzled why the NHS could not procure these visors directly, especially if they were to an NHS approved design (there is one on the Internet for laser printing purposes). It was acknowledged that these visors were probably in very short supply and that care homes, in addition to hospitals, would also have a significant requirement. Therefore they would always find an urgent need despite the vagaries of the NHS. The club therefore unanimously agreed to allow Willie Lang (NHS) and Don Allan (care homes) to spend up to a total of £500 for the manufacture of visors for either application.
It was noted that there are other similar local initiatives for the manufacture of scrub hats and material face masks.
In current circumstances and in the absence of regular Rotary meetings it was felt that members might like to donate to such charitable causes through the club. A figure of £20/£25 per month during “lockdown” was considered a guide, but would be entirely voluntary as certain members have already made alternative arrangements to food banks, churches and other voluntary organisations. If you are donating via the club, the Internet payment details were sent out.
Please submit any topics for discussion at next week’s virtual meeting which is scheduled for the same time (7pm) next Tuesday, 28th April. The Zoom log in details have been emailed.
Post Scriptum: There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of an extremely shambolic procurement process within the NHS itself. See for example this hyperlink: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/4ba5c8f2-8401-11ea-a771-e3cbdc13ee70?shareToken=11f6f91974ed0a38cdb4bed3765455cc
Concluding thought: we are all 17 years old again! Petrol is cheap, we can’t legally buy drinks in a pub, and we’re grounded.
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