Northern Ireland

40 nurses plus Ambulance Service to test care home residents in 'intensive support' measure

Health Minister Robin Swann said on May 13 2020 that 3,346 residents in care homes had been tested and additional support had been provided to staff
Health Minister Robin Swann said on May 13 2020 that 3,346 residents in care homes had been tested and additional support had been provided to staff Health Minister Robin Swann said on May 13 2020 that 3,346 residents in care homes had been tested and additional support had been provided to staff

"Intensive" support is being provided for care homes dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, Health Minister Robin Swann has said.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has this week started to provide a mobile testing service for care homes and up to 40 nurses from the health system are being deployed to support testing in care homes.

In a press briefing at Stormont this afternoon Mr Swann detailed three areas involving protecting care home residents:

  • Significant expansion of testing for care home residents and staff
  • Intensive support for care homes, including strengthening by trusts of hospital-to-community outreach teams
  • Investment and reform in social care

He said: "The social care sector has been struggling for years and as a whole is not fit for purpose. The structural reasons for this are well documented and are no fault of staff.

"It is beyond doubt that the sector needs much greater resilience. This is essential given the threat that will be posed by Covid-19 in the months and potentially years ahead. I am therefore proposing to move ahead with reform and investment plans, subject to the necessary financial support being provided by the Executive."

Mr Swann said 3,346 residents in care homes had been tested and additional support had been provided to staff.

Some 75 homes had positive outbreaks. A total of 26 care homes have closed down their outbreaks.

The Department of Health today reported two more coronavirus deaths.

Meanwhile, Chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said the Nightingale hospital in Belfast to care for extra Covid-19 cases was to be "de-escalated", as reported by the Irish News last week.

Dr McBride added that reducing the escalation level will ensure the health and social care system is able to respond and redeploy to non-Covid-19 cases.

He said doctors would be redeployed to deal with urgent surgeries and treatments.

Dr McBride added: "We have to undertake that gradually and cautiously."

Mr Swann said the Nightingale hospital at the City Hospital's tower block had once treated 30 people in intensive care beds.

He said: "It was one of the key strategic tools for tackling Covid-19.

"We are not doing away with it, it will be there if we have need for it."

Medics from around Northern Ireland were brought in to staff it.

Mr Swann added: "It is a testimony to the work that they did that we are able to bring it down."

Read more:

  • Michelle O'Neill says social distancing will be part of our lives for up to two years
  • North's Nightingale hospital to be 'wound down' due to low coronavirus admissions