Results 7,801-7,820 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: I go back to the issues regarding GPs. We said earlier that approximately 90% of support is provided by GPs. Is there not a pressure point with GPs in that one aspect of dealing with mental health is giving time to the individual but one of the problems we have is that GPs are under great pressure because of the volume of work they are doing? What additional supports do the witnesses...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Does Ms Mitchell feel there is a sufficiently joined-up approach to this? A GP running his or her practice knows that there are supports, but they are difficult to follow through on from his or her point of view. Should there be more co-ordination between GPs and the backup support services?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: There is an issue as to the use of social media and young people. Is there a planned programme to do something on this issue and if there is, are all of the players involved in this, from young people, to the health service and all of the voluntary agencies involved, through a co-ordinated plan? It is very important to get that message out to young people and to address the urgent need to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Is now the time to look at this and see how we can improve matters? A great deal of good work is being done, much of it by people on a voluntary basis, as well as by having very good professionals involved. Do we need to be far more progressive and consider what is being done in other jurisdictions? Now is the time to do that, rather than looking back at the matter in six or 12 months' time.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank the people who are here this morning for their work. It has been a very challenging time for everyone in the healthcare sector, and for those in the mental health care sector it is even more challenging. I thank them and all the staff working in mental health services for their contributions in dealing with this very difficult situation over the past four months. How many beds...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Did the occurrence of Covid tend to be in multi-occupancy rooms as opposed to in single occupancy rooms?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Would Ms Smyth agree that up to two people is not adequate in any one of these facilities?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Has a target been set for goals to be achieved in this area? Is there a timeframe within which we will try to have the single occupancy issue dealt with?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: My next question is about the facilities for staff. I have received a number of calls where staff expressed concern that no appropriate changing facilities were available for them when they came to work and when they were leaving work. These complaints applied exclusively to mental health facilities.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Perhaps Mr. Ryan will come back to me in writing on that-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: -----to confirm there are appropriate changing facilities for staff for arriving at work and when leaving work, the same as those available in general hospitals. From the calls I have received on this matter, I understand that no facilities are available in some mental health units for staff changing.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Could I get in writing a confirmation that each unit now has appropriate changing facilities, be it showers or other facilities, available for staff, who are coming on duty and who are leaving duty?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Will the witnesses clarify the number of patients in mental health settings who contracted Covid-19? What kind of number are we talking about for those who were directly affected or who contracted Covid-19, and do we have numbers for staff also?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Is that for the entire country?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: What is the number of bereavements?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed) (14 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Is that the total number who were in mental health facilities across the country?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank the Department and its staff for the work they have done over the last three or four months, which has been a very difficult time for everyone, as well as the teachers and boards of management around the country. There are a number of schools in my area where there is a difficulty with space. Some are on the programme for new classrooms and in one case a totally new school is due to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Some schools may not be on the building programme at the moment but are at capacity and it is now quite clear that we will need additional space for students because of the changes and regulations that will be in place. Will additional space be acquired between now and 1 September to accommodate those schools? I am talking in particular about schools in rural areas where it may not be that...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: If additional space cannot be identified, will we have some pupils in between 8.30 a.m. and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and another group of students from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.? Will this have to be done in some areas where additional space cannot be identified?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Colm Burke: Do we have an idea of the overall percentage of schools where we may have a difficulty with space? I am not looking for numbers but are we looking at anything up to 15% or 20% of schools or is it a greater challenge than that?