Mersey healthcare products specialist Richardsons Healthcare has recruited 60 families and aims to produce up to 5,000 visors a day – with all profits going to the NHS. Tony McDonough reports

More than 60 families in isolation across Wirral are being paid to produce full-face visors for use by frontline NHS staff treating coronavirus patients.

They are produced the vital PPE equipment on behalf of Bootle-based healthcare equipment supplier, Richardsons Healthcare, which has switched from making operating table mattresses and accessories to full-face visors.

At the outset of the pandemic Richardsons managing director Michael Gould was faced with the prospect of furloughing his 20 staff as orders for the mattresses dried up overnight.

However, he was then approached by one of his customers asking if they were able to switch production to making the full-face visors required by the NHS. Mr Gould said: “The only hurdle was the production of such a large quantity required in a very short time.”

Mr Gould discovered the solution to the problem in his own community in Wirral where more than 60 families, currently in full isolation are making the visors from their homes, with the help of a seven-minute training video made by the firm. Richardsons, which has been supplying its products for more than 40 years and is a 2019 Queens Award for Enterprise recipient, is now gearing up to manufacture up to 5,000 visors per day.

Mr Gould added: “We are specialists in making class 1 and 2 medical devices and are able to use that knowledge to provide a high-quality product with traceability. The staff are continuing to safely work and are not a burden on the state.

“People are being paid to make the visors and to be able to make a real contribution in the battle against COVID-19. And, most importantly, front line medical staff are getting the personal protective equipment that they so desperately need. All the profits from the manufacturing of the visors will be donated back to the NHS.”