8 Feb 2021, 13:33
The Joint Committee on Health will get an update from organisations representing consultants, doctors, nurses and midwives on the protections and supports in place for Covid-19 frontline health workers, at a meeting in Leinster House, tomorrow, Tuesday, 9 February at 10am.
Appearing before the Committee are: Dr. Gabrielle Colleran, Vice President, Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) Professor Robert Landers, Vice President (IHCA), Martin Varley, Secretary General (IHCA); Karen McGowan, President, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO); Phil Ní Sheaghdha (INMO); Vanessa Hetherington, Assistant Director, Policy and International Affairs, (IMO) and Dr. Peadar Gilligan, Consultant Committee (IMO).
Speaking before the meeting, Committee Chairman Deputy Seán Crowe said: “The third wave of the pandemic has placed unprecedented pressure on the health service and our health service workers. Tomorrow’s meeting is an opportunity to get an update on the realities being faced, on a daily basis, by health staff working in the community and hospitals including nurses, GPs and public health doctors.
“An update on the vaccination programme for healthcare workers to protect them at work, the on-going impact of ‘Long-Covid’ on health workers affected, pressures on staffing levels as a direct result of Covid-19, supports needed to continue their invaluable work and support the delivery of the roll-out of the priority based, vaccine programme over the coming weeks and months are among the topics 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