Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
1478. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the actions taken to date to ensure that nursing homes have effective ventilation systems in place in both private and public nursing homes to reduce Covid-19 risks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63368/21]
View answerRegulation 17 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013 requires a nursing home to have “ventilation, heating and lighting suitable for residents in all parts of the designated centre which are used by residents”. Regulation 27 states that the “registered provider shall ensure that procedures, consistent with the standards for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections published by the Authority are implemented by staff”. Furthermore, both the National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland and the National Standards for Infection Prevention and Control in Community Services set out requirements in relation to adequate ventilation. The Chief Inspector, in discharging their duties, determines through examination of all information available to them, including site inspections, whether a nursing home meets the requirements set out by the Regulations and the National Standards.
The registered providers of nursing homes are responsible for ensuring that bedroom accommodation, communal and dining spaces are well ventilated and not overcrowded, while balancing this requirement against the comfort needs of residents.
Public Health and Infection Prevention & Control guidelines, published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, provide comprehensive and detailed guidance on the prevention and management of respiratory infections in residential care settings. This guidance outlines the need for practical measures to increase ventilation to be taken, with consideration of the comfort of residents and weather. While the guidance notes that some healthcare settings have found it helpful to use carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors to identify areas of poor ventilation and or to monitor ventilation, it remains critical, in line with public health advice, that adherence to the established infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, including basic IPC measures, is maintained, as the key measures to mitigate the spread COVID-19. Further, the guidance notes that when appropriately selected certain air cleaning devices can be effective in reducing/lowering concentrations of infectious aerosols in a single space however they have not been shown to reduce the risk of patients acquiring infection with COVID-19 in a healthcare setting.
This guidance is kept under continuing review as new evidence and data emerges with the latest guidance coming into effect on 17 January 2022.
