Irish Examiner view: The very least we can do is support our health staff

Cyberattack described as a 'unique cruelty' for under-pressure health workers

It is understandable that those who fear their medical data will be published online might consider legal action, particularly if it is shown not enough was done to protect it, but the focus now must be on doing what we can to support our healthcare workers who are grappling with the fallout of last week’s cyberattack.

HSE national clinical adviser Dr Vida Hamilton has described that breach as “a unique cruelty” after the unprecedented challenges of dealing with the pandemic over the last 15 months, and called on the public for patience and understanding.

Dr Hamilton said the health service was facing a major disaster and warned of substantial delays as healthcare staff, already exhausted and overstretched, must now resort to whiteboard and markers to try to keep services open. 

A blood test that would normally take one hour now takes up to eight.

She appealed to people to be really patient with staff who are under unimaginable pressure. That is the very least we can do. 

She has also called on people, where possible, to postpone health appointments to leave the way open for those facing life-threatening medical emergencies, such as heart attack or stroke.

The hundreds of thousands of people whose treatments have been postponed due to Covid-19 will be justly frustrated by those delays, but it’s important to do all we can to support our healthcare workers and those most in need of their care.