Cahill highlighting “crisis” in nursing home staffing levels

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A crisis in staffing levels at some local nursing homes is being highlighted by a Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD.

Jackie Cahill says he’s been contacted by the manager of one facility who has lost the bulk of his staff to self isolation amid Covid-19 fears.

The National Public Health Emergency Team will discuss later today any further measures nursing homes should consider implementing.


Deputy Cahill has outlined one scenario facing a local nursing home manager in Tipperary:

“To say he was under pressure would be an understatement. He has 12 nurses on his staff and only one of them is available to work for him today.

“That is a crisis situation for him. He said the HSE has to provide more resources and nurses as backup for him. I was talking to a colleague of mine in Dublin, another Fianna Fáil TD, and he said the nursing homes are a real problem there at the moment. And unfortunately it looks as though it’s spreading to the mid-west.