“If we all work together we will get through this”, says Trust boss

THE HEAD of the local health service has reassured the public that if we all work together, we will get through the latest Covid wave and Omicrom variant.

Speaking to the local media, Western Trust chief executive Neil Guckian noted Covid cases in Fermanagh and across the Trust area were currently lower than the northern average, and said if everyone played their part, we could get through the current difficulties.

“To me, at this point in time, we’re hoping that will continue into the medium term,” he said.

“We have learned from the first time and we believe that we have to prepare, obviously, but at this stage the way we’re dealing with Omicrom is the same way we’ve dealt with Covid from the start.

“The message is the same. We’d encourage all our population to be vaccinated and if they are we would encourage everyone, when relevant, to take their booster jab. Also, we would ask people to continue with the social distancing, with the wearing of masks, hand hygiene and so on.

“If we can do that and work together over the next few months we should be able to come through the Omicrom variant.”

Mr Guckian did, however, stress that winter pressures were piling on the local health system, not just due to the the ongoing challenges of Covid and also because of the now annual problem of delayed discharges from hospital.

“Clearly the Western Trust, like all health service trusts, is entering into a very difficult period for all services, and that applies to Northern Ireland and beyond,” he said.

“I would ask everyone to help us and bear with us as we try to manage and navigate our way through this period.

“I want to apologise if people are delyed longer than usual, but it is a necessary evil in terms of this very difficult situtation.”

One of the aspects being impacted by the Covid challenges and pressures is elective care, with procedures currently down by an estimated 60 percent.

Assistant director of emergency care at the Western Trust, Mark Gillespie said while the system was currently coping with covering critical care, with red flag procedures and other serious conditions continuing, “elective care remains an area of continued focus for us on a daily basis across the Trust.”

“Sessions on a weekly basis are in the region of 85, 30 of these are inpatient and 54 are day cases,” said Mr Gillespie.

“We are currently assessing the potential to increase this number, with the reduction in the requirement for intensive care capacity.

“The Trust continues to work with the HSCB on a weekly basis to maximise the capacity in the independent sector and to reduce any waits in the system.”