Covid causing 'unprecedented' disruption in health service

25% of the Covid cases in 2021 were between Christmas and New Year.

The chief clinical officer of the HSE has said that without the derogation allowing asymptomatic staff who are close contacts to return to work, the health service “would be in serious trouble.” 

Dr Colm Henry said that the scale of disruption being experienced by the health service was “unprecedented”.

The current situation “from an HSE perspective” was very difficult with community positivity rates of 60% and the fact that 25% of the Covid cases in 2021 were between Christmas and New Year.

The HSE was trying to protect services, he told Newstalk Breakfast.

Last night, 23,817 new cases of the virus were confirmed by health officials with  941 patients with the virus in hospital.

The health service's chief operating officer, Anne O’Connor, told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that staff could not just be redeployed to other areas, but efforts were being made to send them where they were needed most.

The HSE was trying to protect services, said Dr Colm Henry. Picture: Leah Farrell/Photocall Ireland

The latest official figures, which were from Friday, December 31, showed that 8,000 health services staff were not at work because they had either tested positive for Covid or were a close contact. 

That figure was more likely to be 14,000 to 15,000, she said.

The staff shortages were “very challenging” for the health service – not just hospitals, but also general practices, community services and disability services, added Ms O’Connor.

Discharge pathways for patients were always an issue for hospitals, she explained, but this was even more difficult now as home supports and step down facilities were also under pressure because of staff shortages due to Covid.

HSE COO Anne O'Connor said hospitals would continue to do as much as they could and that there would not be a “blanket stop” of elective services. Picture: Leah Farrell / Photocall Ireland

The ambulance service was also under pressure with 260 staff absent yesterday, she said.

While all services were challenged, prioritisation would be on the basis of clinical need. 

Ms O'Connor said that hospitals would continue to do as much as they could and that there would not be a “blanket stop” of elective services. 

Emergency care and time-sensitive care were “things we have to do.” When asked when the portal to register positive antigen tests would open, Ms O’Connor said she expected it to open next week.