25% of ambulance staff off

It has emerged patients are being asked to travel to hospital themselves as pressures ramp up on the ambulance service.

New figures show around a quarter of paramedics are off work, as Omicron spreads throughout the community.

Overall, around one in ten health and social care staff in Northern Ireland are off due to Covid related issues- over 4000 workers.

Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Michael Bloomfield told us about the impact on staff absentee levels:

"The sick absence and combined sick absence and Covid-related absence in the Ambulance Service is currently 25% of our entire workforce, across other health service organisations I understand it ranged between 11 and 14%.

"That's not surprising given the very sharp increase in number of transmissions in the community with this new variant.

"Our staff are all part of the community and therefore are equally affected by it."

While contingency plans are in place, Michael warned working under the current pressure is not sustainable:

"As always we try to focus our resources on the sickest patients but we are now seeing that response times even for those most clinically urgent calls are taking much longer and indeed there are some patients that whenever they phone in we have to tell them that it's highlu unlikely that we will get them an ambulance any time soon and if they can make their own way to hospital they should do that."

Meanwhile, Patients have been reminded of the importance of leaving acute hospitals as soon as they are deemed fit for discharge, with health services under extreme pressure from Covid-19.

Health trusts across Northern Ireland have asked for the full co-operation of patients, their families and carers on the matter.

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust warned that the situation in hospitals could worsen over the next month to six weeks.

Wendy Magowan, director of operations at the Northern Trust, said: "We are communicating directly with patients on the importance of timely discharge - both for their own wellbeing and to ensure that as many beds as possible are available to those who need to be in hospital."

On admission to hospital, patients are now being given letters setting out the approach to discharge planning.

The letter acknowledges that any admission to hospital is stressful for both patients and their families or carers.

However, it also points out that an unnecessary or prolonged hospital stay can be detrimental as patients may develop infections which can have a significant impact on long-term recovery.

Ms Magowan said: "Discharge home will always be the first option, but many patients will require additional care and support through other services or an alternative placement.

"In the event that patients require further rehabilitation, consideration will be given as to the most suitable option and that may include transfer to another hospital or step-down bed."

She added: "The pressures on domiciliary care have been well rehearsed. These are being exacerbated by the spread of the Omicron variant, with staff absenteeism likely to increase.

"This will result in increased delays in care packages becoming available.

"In the event that a patient requires a new or increased package of care, and it is not immediately available, family members will be required to provide support upon discharge until the package of care becomes available.

"Alternatively, patients could move to a care home/step-down bed, if there is a place available, to provide them with safe and effective care whilst they await the provision of the package of care. Care home fees will be waived during this period.

"The stark reality is we need acute hospital beds for acutely ill people."

Patients requiring a place in a nursing or residential care home, but where a home of their choice is not immediately available, will be transferred to an alternative home until a bed becomes available in their preferred care home.