At least 20% of NHS suppliers at ‘high risk’ of modern slavery use, review says

The DHSC review looked at 1,361 suppliers of a variety of clothes and equipment used by the NHS, and found the health service was strongly reliant on high-risk suppliers. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Over a fifth of NHS suppliers providing items including surgical instruments, gloves, gowns and face masks are at “high risk” of using modern slavery, according to a government review.

Nearly half of all NHS suppliers of gowns and uniforms are based in China, which also provides the bulk of all masks.