She also tweeted a picture of herself smiling in hospital without make-up and in a surgical gown.

I was in my surgical gowns once about to go into the theatre when they said there was a shortage of medical staff.

A fifth of doctors say they have been given unusable personal protective equipment amid concerns that faulty facemasks and surgical gowns are being delivered to hospitals.

The company, which sterilises surgical gowns and surgical instruments and provides laboratory services to hospitals and surgery centres, said the new contracts will add 230 million to its order book.

Hospital staff were made to undergo decontamination on entering and leaving the ward and wore masks and surgical gowns at all times.