Storm Eowyn: Northern Ireland NHS only able to run emergency service during the Red Wind, BMA says
The NHS is only able to run an emergency service during the Red Wind warning today, a leading GP has said.
Northern Ireland British Medical Association spokesman Dr Alan Stout said yesterday’s storm is bringing particular challenges both to the NHS and other urgent public services.
Much of the public sector is closed today across Northern Ireland due to a Red Wind alert from the Met Office which is seeing winds gust up to 90mph.
He compared the situation to Covid lockdowns.
"The big difference is it's really just for a few hours, just to keep people safe, and really just following the guidance,” he told the News Letter.
"You have got to take the lead from what the First Minister, Deputy First Minister have said" in their storm warnings, he added.
The pair have both advised everyone across Northern Ireland to stay at home today unless absolutely necessary to do otherwise.
They did not give exceptions in their guidance for NHS staff, he said.
"It's about keeping our staff safe, and it's about keeping patients safe, and minimizing travel for that period of a few hours until the worst of the weather clears."
He said much of the NHS is running on "Christmas Day" or skeleton staffing levels in order to minimise the risk to staff.
"But everything is still open, the hospitals are open and providing urgent care services. The emergency care services and GP practices are open and are providing urgent and emergency care."
Dr Stout said that closing down much of the NHS today will have a significant impact on it, as it is already under huge pressure and treating many patients in corridors.
"It really does highlight just how vulnerable we are, if we have any sort of crisis, as we saw over the past number of weeks with very high circulating infection levels, particularly with flu, and now we see a red weather alert.”
The NHS "runs over capacity most of the time" so a lockdown of much of it for one day "can have a very significant impact and there is very little room for maneuver" , he added.
Speaking about NHS service levels during the storm, Consultant Respiratory Physician Geoffry Todd told the News Letter: “I think doctors and nurses should always try their best to get to work. Less so, support staff, who I would understand might not be as vocationally committed. These are exceptional conditions.”