In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently called on over 60 of the UK’s leading manufacturing businesses and organisations to help the UK step up its production of vital medical equipment, such as ventilators. He asked manufacturers to rise to this immediate challenge by offering skills and expertise, as well as manufacturing the components themselves.

He set ‘the ambition’ for industry to manufacture as many new ventilators as possible; the Government’s Chief Commercial Officer and Commercial Director from the NHS have detailed the clinical and design specifications.

Any business that can help should get in touch, by phoning the BEIS Business Support Helpline on 0300 456 3565 or visiting the Web site (ventilator.herokuapp.com).

Mr Johnson said that, as well as manufacturers, the Government is looking for businesses with the following skills: design/specification; rapid prototyping; contract/product assembly; certification/regulation/testing; logistics; and medical training.