Whereas challenges regularly present across the health services for its staff, the HSE has been reflecting on efforts made to ensure essential services were maintained last week when snow and freezing conditions affected much of the South East.
Once weather warnings applicable from Saturday evening 4th of January onwards materialised into days of icy interruptions to travel for much of counties Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary, in addition to substantial parts of counties Waterford and Wexford, a massive community response kicked in. Its aim was towards making sure that access continued to necessary medical care and delivery points and workplaces in that respect.
Speaking this week, Derval Howley (Head of Service/Health and Wellbeing and who helped co-ordinate HSE response during the emergency period) said:
“The HSE is very grateful of the cooperation of patients, service users, their families and the general public, the Defence Forces and voluntary emergency services – evident from start to finish of the recent harsh spell of weather.”
“In evidence too was the commitment of the HSE’s own employees in the ambulance, hospitals, community healthcare and administrative support services to go ‘over and above’ in the circumstances. There was also valued support from local authorities, Gardaí, statutory agencies, emergency groups and others in the voluntary sector and from various individuals in the community (especially those who checked on vulnerable people in their community and supported HSE staff in delivering essential home visits and staff travelling to work). Various businesses across the South East also supported HSE services with food deliveries and provision of meals and transport assistance.”
“The Civil Defence in counties Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary assisted with patient and staff transports, responded to calls from vulnerable people who needed medication and other supplies and brought GPs to hold clinics for vulnerable patients. Members of the Defence Forces were based in St. Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny throughout the week, where they supported the transport of hospital staff an also supported community healthcare staff in reaching vulnerable clients and for staff to access workplaces. The ‘4 x 4’ ambulance vehicles of the Red Cross and Order of Malta were also to the fore, including in providing patient transfers (such as to and from Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel and by the Defence Forces supporting St. Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny) for the HSE’s National Ambulance Service. The 4 x 4s of the South East Mountain Rescue service also played a vital role, including in getting to homes of patients who required transport for dialysis.”
“A number of HSE 4 x 4 jeeps were also on the icy roads, operated by volunteers from among our staff who have completed training to drive specialised vehicles. This was of great value in supporting the delivery of Public Health Nursing, Palliative Care and Homecare Support services.”
“The HSE works closely with the Gardai and Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford Councils in ongoing emergency planning. We also value our cooperation with various offices of the local authority through the HSE’s participation in Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), Healthy Ireland projects and other partnership initiatives. In the wider sense, in something we saw demonstrated during the pandemic of recent years, there is also a tremendous sense of community to be found in cities, towns, villages and parishes throughout the country. It was a case of ‘in this together’ again last for much of last week in given parts of the South East and we are proud of and grateful to our own staff and everyone else who ensured we got through it.”
Last updated on: 16 / 01 / 2025
