Marie-Louise Connolly,Health correspondentand
Catherine Doyle,BBC News NI
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The health care system in Northern Ireland “is so fragile” that it would only take “one thing to knock it over”, the executive director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Northern Ireland has said.
It comes amid a surge in cases adding to pressures on hospitals and front-line staff with some health trusts encouraging mask wearing in a bid to combat rising winter viruses.
Several care homes in Northern Ireland have advised families not to visit loved ones as they attempt to protect residents from the current outbreak of the flu virus.
Rita Devlin of the RCN said: “The difficulty is we just have to keep on pushing through and try as far as possible to look after patients.”
Royal College of Nursing
RCN director Rita Devlin said the pressures are taking a “huge toll” on staff
Ms Devlin added: “It’s a huge toll on the wellbeing of the staff who are trying to deliver that care in the most awful of circumstances and environments.”
“With the earlier onset of flu, what we saw in January of last year, we are seeing that early December.”
Almost 80% of care home residents have been vaccinated but it is understood there has not been the same take up among the workforce.
BBC News NI understands that at this stage the number of homes affected is not being regarded as a major issue but it is an indication of the impact the virus is having in caring for vulnerable men and women.
‘Very challenging’
Dr Eoghan Ferrie said it is a “difficult situation” in emergency departments at the minute
Dr Eoghan Ferrie is a consultant at emergency departments and a senior medical officer at the Department of Health.
He told Good Morning Ulster that the situation over the last couple of weeks has been “very challenging” at the Royal Victoria and the Mater hospitals in Belfast.
“It is a difficult situation, but the staff are doing their utmost to try and manage it as best they can.
He said: “We face challenges of demand outstripping capacity on a week-by-week basis throughout the year,” but added that illnesses, like flu, “adds to the pressures”.
The Public Health Agency Director Dr Joanne McClean said the vaccine was the best defence against seasonal flu
The Public Health Agency (PHA) has appealed for everyone who is eligible for a vaccine to get one.
Dr Joanne McClean, its director, said the vaccine was the best defence against seasonal flu.
“We must not underestimate the seriousness of seasonal flu.
“It can result in hospitalisation, even for some otherwise healthy people. We have enough stock of vaccine for eligible people to avail of the offer.”
Dr McClean told The Nolan Show that the flu vaccination programme is complete in the western, northern and south-eastern trusts.
In the southern trust, Dr McClean said she understood there are two schools where the vaccination programme is not complete as there is “some difficulty in getting dates agreed”.
She said that the PHA had asked them “to consider alternative arrangements”.
In the Belfast trust, she said the programme “will be complete by the end of next week” in all but four schools as they have not been able to secure dates with them.
However, Dr McClean said alternative arrangements had been put in place and a Saturday clinic would run on 13 and 20 December.
‘A massive surge in demand’
Sheelin McKeagney is a community pharmacist based in Lurgan, County Armagh.
He said there was “absolutely no problem getting vaccines” for people who are vulnerable, but added that “there’s been a massive surge in demand” for people who choose to pay for vaccines.
He said pharmacies had vaccines “in preparation for this,” but “lots of those have now been used up and many pharmacies are waiting on further supply”.
‘A very difficult winter’
John Compton said “it’s still a couple of weeks away before the flu peaks”
John Compton is a former chief executive of the Health and Social Care Board. He said the number of people with the flu is likely to go up.
“I suspect it’s still a couple of weeks away before the flu peaks,” he said.
“Traditionally the busiest time of the year for our hospital sector is just after Christmas.”
He added that “already things are pretty busy and pretty difficult”.
“I suspect it will be a very difficult winter for our health system and for patients and families who are using it.”