Coronavirus: Boris Johnson urged to join EU procurement scheme to secure ventilators

Participation in the scheme is seen as a test of the prime minister's pragmatism on Brexit and Covid-19

Ventilators are in high demand (REUTERS)

Boris Johnson is being urged to join an EU procurement scheme to secure ventilators to treat people affected by coronavirus, amid fears there is likely to be a shortage.

The European Commission is organising a joint procurement of ventilators and protective equipment for medics like masks, with the vast majority of EU member states set to take part.

The programme is likely to reduce costs and pool resources for countries taking part because of the bloc's large collective buying power when dealing with medical equipment manufactures.

But the UK has not yet indicated whether it will take part in the programme – with participation being seen as a test of whether Mr Johnson will stick to his Brexit guns, or show pragmatism to fight Covid-19.

"At a time when the NHS is facing chronic shortages of ventilators and other vital medical equipment, it is deeply concerning that the Government has reportedly refused to take part in the EU joint procurement scheme," said Liberal Democrat MP and leadership candidate Layla Moran.

"We will only beat the threat posed by COVID-19 by working together with our friends and partners in Europe and around the world.

"Ministers must put pragmatism above ideological considerations and urgently opt in to the EU joint procurement scheme, so that we can secure the vital equipment NHS workers and those suffering from COVID-19 so desperately need."

A European Commission spokesperson confirmed that the UK was "eligible to participate in these joint procedures" despite having left the bloc on 31 January.

Mr Johnson himself has said there is likely to be a shortage and urged manufacturers to produce more equipment, notably ventilators - which are key in treating people in the most deadly stages of the disease.

Boris Johnson has called for more ventilators to be made

But he took criticism after he joked in a conference call with the leaders of 60 manufacturing businesses that the scheme could be called "Operation Last Gasp".

Speaking on Tuesday following the call, Mr Johnson said: "We really only have a few weeks to build literally thousands of ventilators this country will need.

"The British industry, manufacturers, are responding to this challenge with incredible energy and determination."