Delays to the new COVID-19 testing for nursing home staff will not put the lives of residents in danger, according to industry representatives.
The HSE has said it hopes to begin mass testing of staff from next week.
Around 30,000 staff will be involved and the testing is to be carried out on a weekly basis.
The plan was originally announced at the start of this month; however, on Newstalk Breakfast, Nursing Homes Ireland CEO Tadgh Daly said the delay would not increase the risk to patients.
“To be fair to the HSE, there is significant job of work to be done in terms of logistically managing this process and we need to get it right,” he said.
“The last time the testing was done, it was done by the HSE of all residents and staff and it was carried out by the National Ambulance Service.
“There is a slight change in the testing programme this time where it is actually the staff themselves in the nursing home sector who will be doing it.”
He said NHI was working closely with the HSE on the development of standard procedures for the testing system and would be publishing finalised guidelines in the coming days.
Nursing Homes Ireland CEO Tadhg Daly leaving Leinster House after attending the Dáil Special Committee on Covid-19, 26-05-2020. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNewsElderly care concerns
It comes as the HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid prepares to tell the Dáil COVID-19 committee that Ireland’s elderly care system needs “very significant changes.”
In his opening statement, Mr Reid will call for significant changes to the governance of private nursing homes and a new model of care for the elderly.
He will say policy makers, regulators, providers and clinical experts must work together to achieve a “safe and sustainable model of care into the future.”
"Not sustainable"
Mr Daly said the current model of care is “definitely not sustainable.”
“We need to ensure we have a whole range of services for our aging population and nursing homes can be an important element of that,” he said.
“There is a requirement on the State to lead in policy and funding and then it will be up to the sector to respond to that change in policy.
“In terms of provision of what we would term complimentary services in nursing home – nursing homes can provide day care, meals on wheels and lots of community care.”
He said the “awful tragedy” of COVID-19 has offered an opportunity for the sector to reform.
Visitation
Mr Daly also said the resumption of visitation at nursing homes with no active outbreak has gone “very well” in recent days.
“The feedback has been very, very positive,” he said.
“The decision to restrict visits in the early stages was made with a very heavy heart so it is important now that we try and get back to a new normal in terms of visits for people in nursing homes.
“It is important to realise that it has to be very tightly controlled. People have to book in advance. It is only for a pre-ordained time and it is only one visit per week at the moment and a maximum of two people nominated.”
