1 Feb 2021, 16:27
The Joint Committee on Health will examine how nursing homes are coping with Covid-19 issues at a meeting in Leinster House, tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2 at 10am.
Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI), Chief Executive Tadhg Daly; Department of Health, Assistant Secretary, Social Care Division, Dr. Kathleen MacLellan; HSE National Director, Community Operations, Yvonne O’Neill and HSE National Clinical & Advisory Group Lead, Older Persons, Dr. Siobhan Kennelly are among the witnesses that will appear before the Committee for the discussion.
Committee Chairman Seán Crowe TD said: “There are about 32,000 residents living in more than 570 registered nursing homes across the State. Nursing homes have been disproportionately impacted by Covid- 19. More than half of Covid-19 deaths recorded up until mid-July last year were nursing home residents. Worryingly, late last month outbreaks in almost a third of nursing home were reported. As well as the health and mortality risks to residents, hundreds of staff were out due to illness or were in isolation. This may indicate that we did not learn the lessons of the first wave in March.
“Tomorrow, is an opportunity for us to get an update from Nursing Homes Ireland, the HSE and the Department of Health on the current situation in our nursing homes in terms of the pandemic. Members were informed last week that vaccination of residents and staff in some nursing homes could not take place because of the level of illness. An update on the vaccine roll-out to both residents and staff is among the issues we want to discuss.”
All of the witnesses and the Committee Members are appearing remotely from their offices by video link. Deputy Crowe will be present in Committee Room 2, LH2000.
Watch the meeting live.
Committee membership
Deputies