(Title Image: Plaid Cymru)
A hydraulics company in Carmarthenshire, CR Clark – working with consultant anaesthetist, Dr Rhys Thomas – have started production of a makeshift ventilator device (CPAP/Covid Emergency Ventilator) based on designs used in Italy during the pandemic.
With concerns about a lack of available ventilators and calls by government for manufacturers to switch production to making the machines, Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price AM (Plaid, Carms. E. & Dinefwr), put Dr Thomas and the company in contact with each other.
The CPAP device has already reportedly been used on a patient at Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital and the Welsh Government have given the go-ahead for production to be expanded, with 100 being made daily.
“Although it won’t replace an ICU ventilator, the majority of patients won’t need intensive care if they are treated with this ventilator first, releasing ICU ventilators for more serious Covid-19 cases and other general medical cases. The machine has other benefits in that it will clean the room of viral particles and only supply purified air to the patient. The patient can self-care as specialist nurses are not required releasing them for other duties.”
– Dr Rhys Thomas
Adam Price said: “This has been a truly amazing achievement. I cannot praise too highly Dr Rhys Thomas for his skill, his dedicated staff at Glangwili hospital who tested the device, as well as CR Clark & Co for responding so swiftly. It’s fantastic that we have such brilliant expertise in Carmarthenshire to create and deliver this new device in volume at such short notice.”
