Health Minister Robin Swann has this evening (Friday) written to the Assembly over his deep regret to ‘any patient experiencing postponements’ of their elective surgeries as a result of the pressure that the Health Service is currently experiencing due to COVID-19.
In the statement Mr Swann writes: “I deeply regret any patient experiencing postponements of this nature. The unfortunate reality is that a health service that struggles to cope in normal times is not built to withstand a pandemic of this scale.
“As a result of the prevailing Covid situation, an even greater number of staff will have to be redeployed in the days and weeks ahead to meet the urgent and immediate needs of extremely ill patients. That applies equally for both Covid and non-Covid patients needing critical care.”
Reassuring the Assembly Members, the Heath Minister went on: “I can inform Members that I have approved the establishment of a new regional approach to ensure that any available theatre capacity across Northern Ireland is allocated for those patients most in need of surgery both during the surge and as we come out of this surge. This will include seeking to fully maximise all available in-house HSC and Independent Sector capacity.”
Earlier in the week, Mr Swann addressed the Assembly and was critical of what he termed ‘Covid Denies’ for spreading false information about the virus and the pressures the NHS.
“I want to assure the public that hospitals are doing their absolute best to care for patients, and that includes treating the sickest quickest. This is not the case of prioritising one medical condition over another.” continues Mr Swann
“It is incredibly offensive for anyone to accuse frontline staff of doing that. I hope no Member will resort to making such claims. It is long past time that this falsehood was nailed once and for all. Indeed, anyone making such an allegation is insulting health staff who are battling the most appalling pressures and facing decisions no one should have to grapple with.”
Concluding the Minister wrote: “Colleagues across health and social care are extremely concerned about what is coming our way in the early part of this year. So whilst we are facing a very precarious few weeks ahead, as I informed the Assembly earlier in the week there is also a real cause for optimism. Our vaccination programme continues apace and as of today, I am advised that in the region of 74k vaccinations have been administered in NI. Of these, some 65k are first doses and 9k second doses with 166 care homes having their 2nd dose.
“Northern Ireland should be proud of its progress to date on Covid-19 vaccination. Members can be assured that the programme will be scaled up significantly and rapidly as more vaccines become available.”
