Advice on how to access Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PPE has become more difficult to procure, however organisations should be continuing to obtain PPE from their usual or alternative suppliers.

If an organisation has exhausted PPE capacity from suppliers the information below seeks to provide an alternative method.

Health professionals and GPs

Primary care providers

Request PPE via WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) at www.practiceassist.com.au/Coronavirus-COVID19 demonstrating evidence of need.
The requester will be advised if their request is successful, and if so WAPHA will distribute the PPE.

WA Health contracted partners

WA Health contracted partners (e.g. St John Ambulance, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Silver Chain) are required to provide PPE request information first to Health Support Services via hsscsdccovidresponse@health.wa.gov.au

PPE request information includes:
- who and under what circumstances will they be using it
- likelihood and consequence of exposure to an infection source or a non-infectious agent (e.g. pathogens, irritants, toxins)
- consequence of their service not being provided
- what and how much PPE is being requested and how effective it will be in reducing exposure
- what stocks they hold
- what their usage rates are (per item per week).
Health Support Services will then inform the Department of Health of these requests and supply based on availability as appropriate

Aged care and community care providers

Aged care providers

Request PPE by sending an email to the Commonwealth at agedcareCOVIDPPE@health.gov.au demonstrating evidence of need.
The requester will be advised if their request is successful, and if so Health Support Services will be contacted by the Commonwealth to distribute the PPE.

Disability service providers

Disability Service Providers related to the NDIS are to request PPE by sending an email to the Commonwealth at NDISCOVIDPPE@health.gov.au demonstrating evidence of need.
The requester will be advised if their request is successful, and if so Health Support Services will be contacted by the Commonwealth to distribute the PPE.

Business, industry and local government

Other government agencies and third party providers

Other Government Agencies (including WA Police, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Corrective Services, Department of Communities, Government Trading Enterprises) and third party organisations are required to provide PPE request information first to the Department of Finance via PDWSalesReports@finance.wa.gov.au and establish stocktake and ordering process.
PPE request information includes:

who and under what circumstances will they be using it
likelihood and consequence of exposure to an infection source or a non-infectious agent (e.g. pathogens, irritants, toxins)
consequence of their service not being provided
what and how much PPE is being requested and how effective it will be in reducing exposure
what stocks they hold
what their usage rates are (per item per week).

The Department of Finance will then vet these based on an agreed set of guidelines (including PPE use guidelines) and send the request to the Department of Health for review, if the Department of Finance is unable to source directly itself.
The Department of Health will then review and approve based on availability and risk as appropriate.

Aboriginal sector

Aboriginal community controlled health organisations

Request PPE via WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) at www.practiceassist.com.au/Coronavirus-COVID19 demonstrating evidence of need.
The requester will be advised if their request is successful, and if so WAPHA will distribute the PPE.

If you have an urgent need for a set of PPE due to an impending contact with a COVID-19 positive person and you have no items at all within your organisation, then you can contact the State Health Incident Coordination Centre (SHICC) on 9222 2017 or email shicc.covidoperations@health.wa.gov.au to discuss your immediate requirements.

Organisations will need to provide some detail regarding the positive COVID-19 case you are managing (how you are coming into contact with the case, the activities required to be undertaken including information such as distance of contact and if there is any hands on contact required), your PPE requirements and your contact details so we can attend to the request.

Last reviewed: 12-05-2020