'Every precaution taken' as Cork hospitals try to prevent spread of viruses

CORK Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) has said that “every precaution is taken” to help mitigate the spread of viruses across hospitals and residential services.

It comes as visiting restrictions were put in place at Bantry General Hospital on Thursday following a Covid-19 outbreak in the hospital.

Management advised that visiting can currently only be facilitated on compassionate grounds due to the outbreak and members of the public have been asked to contact the ward manager prior to visiting the hospital.

A statement issued to The Echo on Friday by Cork Kerry Community Healthcare read: “HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare wishes to ensure that every precaution is taken to help mitigate the spread of viruses like cold, flu, and Covid-19 across our hospitals and residential services.

“HSE Public Health Area D advises that to help stop the spread of viruses in healthcare settings, we rigorously follow up on all notifiable diseases in our healthcare setting and ensure that appropriate control measures are in place including infection prevention and control measures, including adhering to the 5 standards of infection control.

“Ongoing education and upskilling of staff is undertaken in all settings and this is supported by our Infection Prevention and Control teams.

“A booster vaccination programme for flu and Covid is currently being rolled out across the region and HSE Vaccination Teams are providing this service to both residents, clients, patients and staff in all healthcare setting.

“As part of standard precautions, it is the responsibility of every health care worker to undertake a point of care risk assessment prior to performing a clinical care task, as this will inform the level of Infection Prevention and Control precautions needed, including the choice of appropriate PPE.” 

CONCERNS

Meanwhile, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) raised concerns about the recruitment freeze being imposed on certain healthcare workers.

The INMO stated that although nurses and midwives are exempt from this freeze, an embargo on recruitment among healthcare workers will have a direct impact on their ability to deliver safe care.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said its members would not be carrying out the roles of grades that the HSE will not recruit.

“Starving the health service of much-needed staff will send frontline healthcare services into free fall,” she said.

“We are about to head into a winter of many unknowns but one thing we do know is that the same old problems associated with chronic overcrowding will only be exacerbated by a lack of clinical staff on our wards.”