2.1 The government agrees with this recommendation. Re commendation implemented 2.2 Given the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, since March 2020, DHSC and NHS E/I have worked together to provide additional support to NHS trusts to help ensure sufficient medical equipment, including ventilators, were available. 2.3 This has included the direct purchase by the government of 22,300 mechanical ventilators, 12,150 non-invasive ventilators, 9,500 CPAP machines and thousands more items of associated medical equipment. DHSC has also worked with NHS E/I to develop and implement an escalation and national loan process through which trusts could make urgent requests for this equipment which was then quickly and efficiently distributed to where it was needed. More information about this national loan process can be found on NHS England’s website. 2.4 Since March, over 30,000 items of equipment have been distributed across the UK through these processes, however significant volumes of equipment remain available in national stocks to distribute to Trusts (through Regional teams) if they need them. 2.5 Therefore, the department have assured themselves that the NHS have both the right processes in place and hold sufficient stock, to ensure trusts have all the equipment they need to respond to the pandemic.