Minister for Mental Health and Older People publishes the third progress report on the implementation of the recommendations of the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler TD has today published the Third Progress Report on implementation of the recommendations of the COVID-19 Nursing Home Expert Panel.
The COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel was established as a result of a National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommendation. In August 2020, the Panel published a report, setting out immediate real-time learnings and recommendations in light of the expected ongoing impact of COVID-19 over the next 12-18 months.
The Third Progress Report highlights the key achievements and progress in implementing these recommendations so far. It also contains the findings of survey responses from service providers on their progress on implementation. The Report highlights that many of the short and medium term recommendations aimed at safeguarding people living in nursing homes against the COVID-19 virus have already been implemented. These include the delivery of a range of supports to nursing homes, including free PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), serial testing, HSE COVID 19 response teams, IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) training and guidance and temporary accommodation for staff.
It also outlines the progress being made in the area of long-term reform of older persons services, including the Safe Staffing Mix Framework in nursing homes, which has 9 pilot sites already selected and due to commence before the end of the year. Other developments include the first National Nursing Home Experience Survey, to be finalised and launched in 2022; the commencement of the phased rollout of the National Patient Advocacy Service in nursing home which began in June; and interim enhancements to the nursing home regulatory framework.
There will be continued focus on the implementation of the Expert Panel report over the next 6 months with a final progress report to be published in early 2022.
Welcoming the publication of the third progress report, Minister Butler said:
“The Expert Panel recommendations have provided critical guidance for our response to COVID-19 in nursing homes. I remain extremely grateful to the members of the Implementation Oversight Team, Reference Group and all those involved in and committed to the implementation of the recommendations which required immediate action in the context of the pandemic, and those that focus on longer-term reform of older persons services in Ireland."
Minister Butler continued:
“These are wide ranging recommendations requiring analysis, development and integration with whole of system reform over the coming years. This report captures significant progress on actions taken to support that longer-term reform, including on the statutory scheme on the regulation and financing of home care, and the substantial investment in these services. Progress continues to be made through collaborative, multi-agency and multi-stakeholder processes, and I would like to thank all of those involved for their commitment and efforts."
The third progress report is available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c7f5b-covid-19-nursing-homes-expert-panel-report-implementation-oversight-team/
o access to supply lines for PPE and medical oxygen including access, free of charge, to PPE on both a precautionary and an outbreak basis
o HSE training and development resources, including the opening of HSELanD to all nursing home providers
o Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) support and advice, including a package of IPC guidance produced and published in March 2020 in addition to then already existing ‘Public Health Guidelines on the Prevention and Management of Influenza Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities in Ireland 2019/2020’ and the well-established HIQA ‘National Standards for infection prevention and control (IPC) in community services (2018)’
o temporary accommodation to nursing home staff to support measures to block the chain of transmission
o a substantial suite of publicly available guidance, developed to support the sector and updated regularly as new evidence emerges and the epidemiological profile changes