Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
555. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the guidance the HPSC has and is issuing on the provision and usage of PPE to workers in residential care settings such as nursing homes and to home care provision workers; the body responsible for the enforcing of such guidelines within these settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12581/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE through the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has developed an extensive body of guidance and support tools and these are available on its website.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is the independent authority established under the Health Act 2007 to drive continuous improvement and to monitor safety and quality in Ireland’s health and personal social care services. This responsibility is underpinned by a comprehensive quality framework comprising of Registration Regulations, Care and Welfare Regulations and National Quality Standards. These have all been revised and amended since their introduction.
Since the onset of this pandemic, HIQA has put in place a quality assessment process whereby all designated centres, including nursing homes are formally contacted on a regular basis by an inspector of social services to assess how they are coping, the welfare of the residents, any concerns they have, and any deficits identified in their ability to sustain a safe, high-quality service. HIQA has completed a risk assessment of all nursing homes. On 6 April, it commenced a focused COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Hub to provide nursing home providers with guidance and supports; including an escalation pathway, where required, to the HSE.
HIQA has also developed a regulatory assessment framework of the preparedness of designated centres for older people for a COVID19 outbreak. The regulatory assessment framework aims to support those centres that are currently free from COVID-19 to prepare for an outbreak of COVID-19 and put in place the necessary contingency plans. This programme is in line with HIQA’s established Authority Monitoring Approach. As part of the programme HIQA has developed a self-assessment tool for nursing home providers. This self-assessment tool sets out the minimum standard required to effectively respond to an outbreak of COVID-19 in a designated centre. This involves a self-assessment by the registered provider and an onsite assessment by inspectors of social services to verify the provider’s compliance against specified regulations.
Nursing home providers are ultimately responsible for the safe care of their residents. All nursing homes, public and private have a duty to ensure continued adherence to the existing regulatory and standards framework in the discharge of their duties.
In relation to home support staff and Approved Providers are asked to keep themselves updated by regularly checking the HPSC as guidance documents may be frequently updated. The provision of standard PPE (i.e. gloves, aprons, sanitising hand gel) to home support staff employed by Approved Providers remains the responsibility of those Providers in accordance with Service Arrangements. Arrangements are being made in each CHO that access to enhanced PPE (including face masks) is facilitated for all healthcare workers and service providers.
The HSE has advised that in the event that home support staff become aware of a suspect or positive case of COVID-19 in a client in receipt of home support services or a family members resident in the same premises, they are advised to contact their respective line manager for guidance and support. It is important that both clients and staff are protected from the spread of COVID-19 and in that regard, enhanced PPE is now being provided to an expanded range of settings, including to support the care of people in their own homes. Every effort is made to ensure appropriate PPE is available to ensure continued provision of home support service, especially to those clients with higher priority needs.
