Local hospitals 'won"t cope" in any influenza pandemic

Fears that Our Lady"s Hospital in Navan and other local hospitals would not have the resources or staff to cope in the event of a 'flu epidemic have been expressed by health professionals and public representatives this week. As the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued an influenza pandemic alert in the wake of the Mexican swine fever crisis, claims have been made that inadequate staffing and already overcrowded accident and emergency units would leave hospitals struggling to cope in the event of any 'flu epidemic, never mind a world pandemic of swine 'flu. However, the HSE said it had robust and detailed plans in place to respond and has been preparing for situations like this for several years. 'The H1N1 swine flu virus is sensitive to the antiviral drugs and we have ample stockpiles in place. We are and will continue to closely follow the emerging situation,' said a HSE spokesman. The HSE"s plan for a pandemic includes cancelling of all non essential health services, the redeployment of staff and, in some cases, the use of health centres as temporary hospitals. However, fears have been expressed that the service will not be able to cope in the event of a 'flu outbreak. A nurse living in Meath, speaking on condition of anonymity, said staffing levels were already so low in the hospitals in Navan and Drogheda that any 'flu outbreak would be disastrous. 'The hospitals regularly have problems providing beds for patients - last Friday there were nine people on trolleys waiting for beds in Navan and 16 in Drogheda. What would happen if we had a 'flu pandemic?' she asked. 'Nursing staff are already overworked. What will happen if if some of us get ill and there are even less nurses to cope with even more patients?' Navan GP, Dr James Hayes, said there was very little reserve capacity to met a serious epidemic. Hospital services were already stretched in trying to meet existing needs and, if there was a epidemic, there would be serious difficulties. Deputy Damien English also warned that hospitals would find it very difficult to cope in the event of a world 'flu pandemic. 'I hope this doesn"t hit the country, but we will have major problems if it does. The HSE are saying we have enough anti-viral drugs to treat half the population, but what about the rest?' he asked. 'Hospitals are already finding it difficult to cope. People are ringing me on a daily basis waiting for a hospital bed. This is no reflection on the hospitals, but on the resources that are being put into them. 'I have to fight to get people into hospital. It is ridiculous that there aren"t enough beds or staff to cope. Every winter, the hospitals have huge difficulties coping with cases of winter vomitin bug,' he added. 'The health services are not funded properly and we need to be ready to deal with a threat like this.' Cllr Tommy Reilly said he was very concerned as Our Lady"s Hospital in Navan was already bursting at the seams. 'Nurses and doctors are under severe pressure. If we are hit with a 'flu pandemic, I don"t think we are capable of coping with it at all,' he said, The HSE said it will have to manage a huge surge in demand for its services while suffering significant levels of absenteeism due to illness and carer responsibilities. It can only do this by redirecting staff and resources to meet this surge in demand. 'This means postponing or cancelling all but essential services to allow bed capacity to be created for influenza patients and redeploying staff freed up from these service postponements and cancellations to manage influenza patients,' according to the HSE"s pandeminic strategy. The plan points out it is anticipated that the vast majority of people who fall ill will be able to be cared for at home and it is important that they stay at home until they are fully recovered so that they do not spread the disease to others.