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HOSPITAL staff were praised in a report on the handling of the pandemic which at the same time lamented that they had suffered staff shortages, burnout and were left with a feeling of abandonment.
This from Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young in a statement to the House of Representatives on Friday.
He said amid the surge of covid19, never did the public health system ever collapse under the weight of the virus.
Young said the Prime Minister had ordered a five-person team to enquire into factors affecting clinical outcomes of covid19 patients, headed by Prof Terence Seemungal. The report was laid in Parliament.
Most of the handling of the pandemic had been in line with international best practice as set by the WHO (World Health Organization) he said, including admission, discharge and transfer policies of covid19 patients.
However, he accused the Opposition of constantly attacking Government and its advisers over their efforts to protect the population.
"The Opposition has been attempting to sow seeds of doubt and through unfair, and uneducated criticism, have been trying to affect the public’s trust and confidence in our public health care professionals’ efforts in responding to the virus."
Young hailed the country's health workers. "We managed due to the commitment and dedication of our health care workers, their professionalism and ability to step up to the plate, time and time again, and due to the Government’s commitment to prioritise and provide the necessary resources to the public health care system."
However he quoted the committee's concerns for staff well-being plus the effects thereof.
"We found that the implementation of the policies during the pandemic were hampered by unpredictable staff shortages and staff burn-out.
"We recommend that close attention needs to be paid to staff morale as well as purchase of some consumables."
The report praised one institution for providing a staff mental health and wellness service staffed by two psychologists, as an example of best practice."
"The Committee raised concern with respect to staff levels, citing shortages and conditions as areas that needed addressing. The committee recognised that shortages of staff 'are an international problem in this pandemic.'"
Young read an extract about the dedication of frontline staff.
“We were impressed with the application of the nurses, doctors, paramedical and support staff who managed covid19 patients.
"However, at some RHAs, some of the staff in the frontline felt abandoned by the leadership. We recommend the RHAs implement a specific feedback system to monitor the needs of the staff on the frontline.” The report said frontline staff needed support 24 hours per day by 365 days during the pandemic. He said supply stores known as C40 should be continuously open, seven days per week to support staff. The report also praised staff who daily communicated with the families of covid19 patients.
Regarding the handling of patients, the report said there was an urgent need for electronic medical records. It also more purchasing of the drug Tocilizumab to treat patients at an advanced stage of covid19. However the report said medical staff said during a recent covid19 surge patients presented late and as such were seriously ill.The report did not detect any delay in the hospitals treating them once presented. Young said the report had considered the effects of weight, obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes.
He quoted, "It is likely that citizens with NCDs would again be at increased risk for poor outcomes if and when there is another event such as the covid19 pandemic.
"The clinical staff who have been hired temporarily and whose contracts would be discontinued at the end of the pandemic should be redeployed to respond to the NCD morbidity debt that has accumulated during this pandemic.” Thanking the committee and all health personnel, Young promised to adapt any reasonable recommendations of the report which he then laid in the House.
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