HEALTHCARE workers who are ‘tired and dealing with a lot’ have been
praised for their huge efforts of working through the second wave of
the pandemic.
Hospitals across the Western Trust have been experiencing high levels
of Covid19 admissions and hundreds of staff members are off work due
to illness or self isolation.
Last Friday, there was 1,328 Western Trust staff members off work, and
on Friday, 139 (8%) of SWAH staff members were off, 492 (10%) of
Altnagelvin staff members were off and 697 (10.8%) community workers
were off but the number is ‘gradually coming down.’
There is currently over 100 domiciliary care staff members off work as
healthcare workers in the community are feeling the pressure of the
pandemic.
Bob Brown, Executive Director of Nursing, Primary Care and Older
People’s services in the Western Trust said,“Our community workers are
making a huge effort.
“The care homes is a huge challenge for our multi disciplinary teams
as they are being responsive and supportive to quite sick people in
those care homes.
“At the minute, we have around 100 domiciliary care workers off ill or
self isolating, which places a burden on the rest of the team.
“Our district nurses are working with acutely ill people in the
community who may not be coming to the emergency department or to
their GPs.
“We have to strike a balance of looking after all the community
workers as well as hospital workers.
Geraldine McKay, Director of Acute Services at the Western Trust said
staff have been receiving a lot of support during the outbreak.
Mrs McKay said, “We have a physiological support team who work closely
with the staff on a daily basis, and we have sessions available for
the staff to talk individually or in groups.
“We have supported them in any way we can and we constantly have
huddles with them so they can tell us how it is for them and we can
support them in whatever way we can.
“The staff have come through a very difficult surge one and we thought
we were coming out of it but actually our Trust was the first to go
straight back into it.
“Staff have been fantastic and they have went into work when we have
asked if they need a break.
“They are tired and dealing with a lot but there is a lot of support
available for them, and we are all here to help out however we can.
“We are working collectively and corporately with them at this time,”
said Mrs McKay.
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