The number of health service staff redeployed to nursing homes fighting Covid-19 outbreaks has steadily increased over recent weeks, with more than 80 Health Service Executive (HSE) staff currently covering shortages in care homes.

At the start of October, some 56 healthcare staff had been redeployed to assist nursing homes, according to figures provided by the HSE. The majority of these were sent to State-run nursing homes, with eight sent to assist privately run facilities.

By October 13th, some 70 HSE staff had been redeployed to nursing homes, 64 to assist in public facilities, and six sent to private care homes. Private or voluntary providers run about 80 per cent of the country’s nursing homes.

Hospital Report

The number of redeployed HSE staff had increased to 85 by the last week of October, with 64 covering absences in State-run nursing homes, and 21 sent to help private providers. Latest figures show that as of October 29th, 83 HSE staff had been redeployed to nursing homes.

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The HSE has said it is providing intensive support to around five nursing homes dealing with significant Covid-19 outbreaks, which included sending extra staff into the facilities. Paul Reid, HSE chief executive, said on Friday the nursing homes in question were being kept "under very close watch" by health officials.

Staff shortages, due to healthcare workers contracting Covid-19, or self-isolating awaiting test results, had a huge impact on nursing homes during the first wave of the pandemic earlier this year.

Significant outbreaks

Nursing home residents account for about half of the coronavirus-related deaths in the State. Many facilities faced significant outbreaks in March and April, with long delays waiting for test results, major staff shortages, and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) contributing to the virus spreading within centres.

Increasing numbers of nursing homes have reported fresh outbreaks of the virus in recent weeks, as high rates of community transmission have led to cases in residential facilities.

One nursing home in Co Galway, where 26 out of 28 residents tested positive for Covid-19, complained about the lack of support from the HSE during an outbreak last month.

Patricia Mac Gabhann, director of nursing at Nightingale Nursing Home in Ahascragh, said at the time it felt as if the facility had been "abandoned". The majority of staff in the nursing home had also tested positive for Covid-19. The high number of staff out sick had left one nurse and one carer looking after 24 residents, and 22 of those had tested positive for coronavirus.

Speaking to The Irish Times on Monday, Ms Mac Gabhann said the staffing pressures had now been resolved “as our own staff are back from self-isolation”. She declined to state if there had been any further coronavirus-related deaths among residents, or how many staff had been absent with Covid-19. One person had died of the virus when the crisis at the nursing home was first highlighted.

When asked to comment on the current relationship with the HSE, Ms Mac Gabhann said “the truth is I’ve said all I want to say”.

Positivity

Meanwhile New HSE figures show that the positivity rate of asymptomatic staff tested in nursing homes stands at 0.57 per cent, up from 0.38 per cent in the middle of last month.

In the fourth cycle of fortnightly testing of staff in nursing homes, there have been 234 cases of Covid-19 detected out of 41,105 swabs taken so far since the cycle began on October 14th.

The positivity rate among nursing home staff has risen in line with the increase in community transmission of the disease over recent weeks. The positivity rate stood at 0.13 per cent in July, 0.19 per cent in August and 0.33 per cent in the first half of October.

The mass testing of 569 nursing homes is regarded as an effective way to catch the disease to prevent outbreaks in residential care facilities, a congregated setting most vulnerable to the virus.

If infections are detected among staff, the HSE then tests residents in the nursing home.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) said on Monday night there were 103 deaths related to Covid-19 in October, of which 39 were nursing home residents.