Coronavirus: Royal Colleges want urgent action on protective equipment

However, the twelve bodies – including the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of General Practitioners – said the new measures promised by Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride and Health Minister Robin Swann must be “implemented urgently”.

In a statement on Friday, the Royal Colleges said: “We welcome the urgent written statement by the Health Minister on preparations for the impact of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, [issued on Thursday].”

“This unprecedented pandemic is challenging the health care systems of virtually every country across the world and Northern Ireland is no exception. Staff throughout the service are continuing to work hard in hugely difficult circumstances to ensure patients are being treated and cared for safely.”

The statement said: “As leaders of the medical profession, we welcome the minister’s plan and his recognition of the commitment of healthcare staff. They need support and protection to deliver care in a manner that protects both patients and healthcare workers. While we are pleased with the reassurances around the supply of PPE, we ask him to implement his measures urgently, given the concerns raised by medical professionals.

“Early warning of any proposed changes to the PPE protocol as new evidence emerges, is critical to ensuring confidence in the system. Our Colleges will work closely with the Minister and the wider service to disseminate any such evidence. Curbing the spread of infection will only be possible if best practice guidance is available and strictly followed.”

The Royal Colleges also said they recognise the need to work together in such challenging times.

They said: “Where previously boundaries existed between general practice and hospital staff, between those who work during the day and those who work at night, these divisions must fade away to allow us to face this challenge as one united health team.

“With the growing circulation of the virus and increasing numbers of healthcare workers self-isolating, there is an immediate challenge to the whole system. We need to ensure staff are free from Covid-19, so that if they are well, or when they are recovered, they can make a quick return to work. The experience and skills of frontline staff is needed now more than ever.

“With regard to the updated guidance on Covid-19 testing, we commend our colleagues in HSC Laboratory Services for the rapid expansion in capacity, and will support their efforts to grow this further over the coming weeks. It is essential to the continued operation of our services that frontline health and social care staff have access to testing, to protect not only the delivery of services, but also staff in their own right, and their families.

“The minister and his team must move swiftly to ensure access to this testing.”

The statement goes on to say: “The increase in beds and equipment to deal with the numbers of patients we expect is also welcome. We commend our colleagues across the HSC family for their combined efforts to enable the repurposing of our facilities. Our members and colleagues across the various disciplines will continue to work flexibly to assist this team effort.

“There’s no doubt that we face a serious and rapidly evolving situation which requires strong leadership and the commitment of everyone delivering health and social care in Northern Ireland. We offer the minister, his team and our wider HSC colleagues our full support. We are in this together to deliver the best possible care for our patients.”