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The HSE has deployed soldiers to assist staff in two of Cork’s nursing homes, it was revealed today.
This morning the Irish Mirror reported that 25 soldiers have been sent to nursing homes in Ballincollig and Douglas, and also to Ennis, Co Clare.
Members of the Collins Barracks Defense Force in Cork will assist staff for the next three weeks as the Covid-19 crisis continues to escalate.
Soldiers are understood to be infantry only and not medical operatives, and therefore will not perform any medicine-related tasks, their tasks being “general non-clinical duties”.
A Defense Forces spokesperson said in a statement: “Following a request from the HSE, Óglaigh na hÉireann has deployed more than 25 soldiers to nursing homes in Ballincollig, Douglas and Ennis.
“These Soldiers, based in Collins Barracks Cork, will be deployed daily for the next several weeks to assist nursing home staff with general non-clinical duties.”
The Cahercalla Community Hospital in Ennis reportedly sent an emergency call to the HSE after intense pressure on staff in recent weeks, with more than 40 Covid-19 cases confirmed in Cahercalla alone.
(Image: Stephen Collins, Collins Photo Agency)
A letter to staff, signed by Dr. Michael Harty, Chairman of the Board, and posted on social media, says that HSE was asked to provide a replacement management team this week on an interim basis “due to the unsustainable pressures on all staff. “
The letter adds that the replacement team is being brought in after a “recent outbreak” to “ensure the continued personal care and well-being of residents and the well-being of staff.”
“The exhaustion and excruciating stress of long, non-stop working hours for the past two weeks has taken its toll on the senior clinical and administrative team. They are physically and mentally exhausted and need a period of time to recover,” says the letter. .
The news comes as the healthcare system in Ireland faces increasing pressure due to the recent surge in Covid-19 cases here.
HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid said yesterday that nursing homes are under “significant pressure”, adding that “about 25% of them would have outbreaks.”
An HSE spokesperson told Cork Beo: “Cork Kerry Community Healthcare is supporting the residents of a significant number of private nursing homes where there are Covid-19 outbreaks.
“The level of this support varies, but we can confirm that we have reassigned HSE staff to a nursing home in Cork. We are in constant contact with the nursing home and our Covid-19 response team provides ongoing support.
“Our priority in all cases is to ensure that nursing home residents continue to receive the care they need. One of the main challenges during an outbreak is keeping staffing at the level necessary to provide safe care. Level of staff sick or in Leave due to Covid-19 is a very real challenge in private nursing homes, community hospitals, and throughout the healthcare system.
“To the extent possible, we have reassigned staff, particularly nurses and health care assistants. We are very grateful to these staff for agreeing to be redeployed at short notice to crisis settings due to the Covid-19 outbreaks. We would like to thank the many nurses and healthcare staff who have so far reported to work additional hours and shifts, or who have been reassigned, and who are making a huge difference right now.
“Despite the best efforts of our staff and private nursing home staff, we still face staffing challenges.
“We have requested the assistance of the Defense Forces to provide support around cleaning and disposing of waste in a nursing home. During the pandemic, we have been in continuous contact with the Defense Forces and other state agencies, and we are grateful for your continued support.
“Defense Forces support means that our nurses and health aides will be able to focus on caring for residents and patients.
“However, we still need more staff, particularly nurses and / or health care assistants. Any nurse and health care aides who are not currently involved in direct patient or resident care and who are available can contact Executive Director Michael Fitzgerald at MichaelM.Fitzgerald@hse. Ie “.
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