SWAH pressures:‘Nothing has been reduced but it is under constant review’

Professor Ronan O’Hare, Assistant Medical Director at SWAH in an interview with The Impartial Reporter revealed there are 89 staff absent from the SWAH as a result of Covid-19.

He said: “From SWAH there are 78 staff with Covid absences, that would mean they are off looking after family members or children who have tested positive for Covid. An additional 11 staff would be off self-isolating.”

Professor O’Hare continued: “You only have to visit the Emergency Department (ED) to see a comparison to three or four years ago. The length of time waiting in ED has increased as has the time to be discharged home.

“A lot of patients that are waiting to be admitted are waiting over 12 hours. People seem to forget that the nursing and medical complement for ED remains the same [as 3-4 years ago].”

Speaking on discharge, Professor O’Hare said: “The back door of the hospital is difficult because of this reduced staffing levels in the community and that has a dramatic effect in the domiciliary care services. There are also Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes, residential homes and it all has an effect.”

Despite pressures, elective services are still ongoing in SWAH.

Professor O’Hare said: “Patients are never ever forgotten about, whilst things are postponed, nothing has been reduced, but it’s under constant review.

“We’re still maintaining elective services and emergency service. Nothing has been reduced whatsoever.”

A statement released last week from Western Health and Social Care (Western Trust) Chief Executive Neil Guckian warned of the potential for services to be stepped down. He said: “It is very regrettable that we find ourselves in such a difficult position again and we are currently considering if we need to step down some services and redirect staff for a period of time, to ensure that we can manage the increasing pressures in a safe manner.”

Prof. Ronan O'Hare, South West Acute Hospital.

Professor O’Hare assured there was no plans for services to be stepped down at present, he said: “I suppose the purpose of the Chief Executive statement is really to let people know that there is the potential of that to happen given the staffing issues that we face.

“We’re not currently proactively reducing services, we’re able to deal with the pressure we’re under at present bar a few postponements over this last week.”

Speaking about Covid-19 cases in the hospital, Professor O’Hare said: “We still have a Covid Ward and that is where the main Covid active patients are treated.

“We have a Covid-free Ward where patients who are no longer infected, and they just get nursed and treated as normal. So once a patient is no longer active with Covid they are transferred to the appropriate Ward but still identified as a Covid patient but they don’t pose a risk.”

Speaking on the number of Covid patients recorded by SWAH, Professor O’Hare said: “Currently we have 12 active Covid patients in the Covid Ward with one patient in ICU, but there are 33 Covid patients who are no longer active across seven wards so they would all be post-Covid and in a period of rehabilitation to focus on getting them home. He added: “There are still deaths being recorded but there are a lot fewer than previous peaks, a significant proportion of the patients who come in with active Covid are in for another reason.”

The Western Trust has been advising patients to avail of Omagh Minor Injuries Unit as pressure continues, explaining the benefits of using Omagh, Professor O’Hare said: “Emergency Departments are for emergencies, and they will always be treated first. Omagh Minor Injury Unit is a fantastic service, run by very senior and well trained nursing staff and they can treat a significant proportion of patients who present to any ED, really it’s just to spread the workload across the Trust.

“We don’t want patients to wait any longer in ED than they have to and there are alternative pathways.

2The outcomes are the same and really, we’re just redirecting people to try and stop them having longer waits than they’re entitled to.”

Highlighting what the public can do to help those working in SWAH, Professor O’Hare said: “It goes back to the choose well message, ED is for emergencies.

“Please wear a face mask properly and don’t be rude and exhibit behaviour that harasses staff.”

Grateful for public support as the hospital approaches its tenth birthday this year, Professor O’Hare concluded by thanking the people of Fermanagh and Omagh for their support of staff in SWAH.