Almost half of doctors have had to source their own personal protective equipment or have relied on donations, according to a survey.
More than 16,000 doctors were asked about the supply of PPE amid continued claims of shortages for health workers treating COVID-19 patients.
Forty-eight percent of doctors said they had bought PPE for themselves or their department, or they had used donations from a charity or local business.
Fifty-five percent of GPs said they had done this, compared to 38% of hospital doctors.
The British Medical Association said supply had improved but there was still room for improvement.
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BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said the figures were "a damning indictment of the government's abject failure to make sure healthcare workers across the country are being supplied with the life-saving kit they should be".
He said: "The survey shows that overall, there has been an improvement in the provision of PPE, but if almost half of all doctors report that they had to resort to purchasing PPE themselves or rely on donations, then there is still a lot for the government to do to protect its frontline."
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Almost a third of doctors in England who were questioned said they had not reported or spoken publicly about shortages in PPE, staff, testing and drugs because they did not think anything would be done.
Some 65% said they only felt partly – or not at all – protected from the coronavirus while they were working.
One doctor said the situation was "an outrage for all staff" and another said they were "coping" but added "it's a worrying time on the frontline, no NHS eye protection and only flimsy aprons and cheap surgical masks".
More than a quarter of doctors said they were suffering from depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, emotional distress or other mental health conditions.
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Dr Nagpaul said: "The government has fiveRead More – Source
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