Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021
557. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of each of the 86 recommendations in the report from the Covid-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel; the timeline for each of the recommendations to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22806/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra559. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if impediments have been identified with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the recent meetings of the Covid-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel Implementation Oversight Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22808/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 557 and 559 together.
The Nursing Homes Expert Panel was established, on foot of a NPHET recommendation, to examine the complex issues surrounding the management of COVID-19 among this particularly vulnerable cohort. The Expert Panel report, which was published in August 2020, has added further to our knowledge and learning. This report clearly outlines the key protective measures that we must ensure are in place across our nursing homes. These actions are based on learning from our own and the international experience of COVID-19 to date. The report also recommends additional analysis and examination of the relevant public health and other data sets in order that further causal and protective factors for COVID-19 clusters are identified.
Work to progress the recommendations of the Expert Panel report, particularly those recommendations requiring a priority focus in the response to COVID-19, is ongoing across health agencies and stakeholders. The recommendations of the report are varied and complex, requiring a mix of ongoing operational response to COVID-19 and a longer-term strategic reform. Those strategic reforms are, by their nature, complex and relate to whole of system issues. It is important to note that any such reforms require careful consideration and substantial policy development work. In the case of some recommendations, major legislative reform is required, something that must be approached in a measured and considerate way, to ensure reforms are delivered as intended.
Two progress reports have been published to date, with the third report due to be completed in the coming months. These reports are available on the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel Report: Implementation Oversight Team webpage at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c7f5b-covid-19-nursing-homes-expert-panel-report-implementation-oversight-team/. Additionally, survey work of nursing home providers has now commenced.
Continued learning and understanding of progression of the disease in Ireland is an integral part of those recommendations. Residents of nursing homes are vulnerable because of their age, underlying medical conditions, the extent of their requirement for direct care involving close physical contact and the nature of living in congregated settings. The very infectious nature of COVID-19 makes it difficult to prevent and control in residential care settings. The transmission of the virus into and within nursing homes is multifactorial. As identified by the Nursing Homes Expert Panel, where there is ongoing community transmission, settings like nursing homes are more vulnerable to exposure.
The State’s responsibility to respond to the public health emergency created the need to set up a structured support system in line with NPHET recommendations. This has been a critical intervention in supporting the resilience of the sector in meeting the unprecedented challenges associated with COVID-19. The Expert Panel highlighted the value of those supports and recommended their continuation. These supports continue to be provided.
The range of supports provided to nursing homes include:
- Enhanced HSE engagement
- Multidisciplinary clinical supports at CHO level through 23 COVID-19 Response Teams
- Supply of precautionary and enhanced PPE, free of charge
- Serial testing programme for all staff of nursing homes
- Where possible, access to staff from community and acute hospitals
- Suite of focused public health guidance and training resources
- Temporary accommodation to nursing home staff to support measures to block the chain of transmission
- HIQA implemented a Regulatory Assessment Framework of the preparedness of designated centres for older people for a COVID-19 outbreak and published an Infection Prevention and Control Assurance Framework for Nursing Homes
In addition, a temporary financial support scheme established for private and voluntary nursing homes, has provided over €88.8m in additional funding support as of 29 April. The Scheme opened in April 2020 and was extended until 30 June 2021.
