Death of Consultant who warned about PPE.

A doctor who warned the prime minister about a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS workers later died after contracting coronavirus.

Consultant urologist, Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, 53, died at Queen's Hospital, Romford, east London.

Five days before he was admitted to hospital, Dr Chowdhury had appealed to the government for "appropriate PPE and remedies to protect ourselves and our families.”

Speaking at the Government’s daily coronavirus press conference, health secretary, Matt Hancock, claimed the UK has made a "Herculean effort" to deliver PPE.

He said the "plan to protect the people who protect us" included creating a new domestic manufacturing industry.

Dr Chowdhury's son Intisar described the consultant urologist as a "kind and compassionate hero" who had been in significant pain when he wrote his appeal to the government on Facebook.

He said: "He wrote that post because of how he felt at that time and because of how much he cared about his co-workers."

He added he was proud that his father had had the "courage to point out something wrong that the government was doing.

"I'm glad that this issue is now getting the attention that it needs to protect NHS workers on the front line because it pains me to say that my father is not the first, and he is unfortunately not going to be the last, NHS front-line worker to die."

Dr Chowdhury, who worked at Homerton University Hospital, east London, was admitted to hospital on 23 March.

The hospital's chief executive, Tracey Fletcher, said he would be "greatly missed by every member of the urology department, as well as by all those who knew him in outpatients, wards, theatres and management.”

Chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA), Dr Chaand Nagpaul,  said it was "so tragic" that the 53-year-old had died after issuing a warning about a lack of PPE.

He said: "Our hearts go out to him and all the other healthcare workers who are providing frontline care."

The Department of Health and Social Care previously said it was "Working closely with industry, the NHS, social care providers and the Army. If staff need to order more PPE there is a hotline in place.”