PPE critically important for staff in community care
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly, has called on more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be supplied to health staff such as nursing home staff, home helps, carers and social workers.
Deputy Kelly said:
‘This is an extremely difficult time for frontline workers who are looking after our most vulnerable citizens whether that be those working in a nursing home, community or home setting.
“At this stage we are trying to cocoon our elderly and vulnerable, it is absolutely necessary that those who are providing them with care are properly protected.
“It should be a given that people working in nursing homes and as home helps are provided with PPE but that is currently not the case. We have clusters of the virus forming in nursing homes because staff are not adequately protected.
“It is critically important that these frontline workers receive much-needed PPE. I am hearing feedback from up and down the country, that this is not the case and it is extremely worrying.
“The HSE needs to ensure that when further deliveries of PPE arrive that people who work in community care settings are provided with PPE. We cannot afford for more clusters of Covid-19 to take hold in nursing home settings.
“I will be raising this issue on the HSE conference call with Health spokespeople today.”