COVID-19 Health Round-up

• The Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA, held a press briefing this afternoon to outline the Department’s newest measures in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

• It was announced this morning that a person has died from the virus in Northern Ireland. The Department said that 77 people have now tested positive for COVID-19.

• The new measures introduced by the Minister this afternoon are the first in the ‘Surge Plans’ the Department is undertaking to tackle the virus.

• Testing capacity will be increased to around 800 COVID-19 tests per day. This will enable the Health and Social Care Board to extend the availability of testing to frontline health and social care staff, ensuring that they can continue to deliver vital services.

• The Minister announced that third year nursing and midwifery students within the last six months of qualifying will be sent to clinical care. This will happen in the next 10-14 days and will provide support of up to 880 senior nursing and midwifery students. Final Year Medical Student from QUB will join the Medical Register 4 months earlier than originally arranged and will become immediately available to assist medical teams across NI hospitals.

• All five Trusts have identified specific wards to provide additional bed capacity to respond to the needs of people with COVID-19 who need hospital admission.

• Some 40 additional ventilators have been ordered bringing the total available in Northern Ireland to 179 by the end of March.

• Plans are in place to rapidly increase the number of critical care beds as necessary.

• All Trusts are halting non-urgent appointments investigation and procedures. This action is necessary to allow us to redeploy key staff to support the care of people admitted to hospital because of COVID-19. Outpatient appointments, day case and elective inpatient services will be maintained for urgent cases. Similarly, surgery for the treatment of cancer and other urgent procedures will continue.

• All Trusts will apply appropriate restrictions on the number of visitors that are permitted.   

• All HSC Trusts will also be focusing sustained attention on ensuring patients who are medically well are safely and rapidly discharged from hospital, with appropriate care arrangements, to ensure hospital beds are available for any increase in admissions.

• Routine GP work will be adjusted or suspended in the first number of weeks of the epidemic. Requests for consultations will be telephone triaged and an increased proportion of patients will have advice provided by telephone consultation. 

• Community pharmacies have put in place a range of special measures to deal with a surge in demand. This will include up to a 48 hour wait for dispensing of medication and three patients at a time allowed inside premises.

• Services will be prioritised for those most in need i.e. the vulnerable and those at risk of harm. This will include core children’s and young people’s services, older people’s services, mental health services, and learning disability services.

• The Minister stated that if these measures are adhered to by the majority of the population, as well as the social distancing that is being encouraged, the spike in the virus could be cut by 50% and the death rate of COVID-19 could be cut by a third.

Hospitality Ulster outlines clear demands for hospitality sector to NI Assembly Economy Committee amid COVID19 disaster

Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster

The Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster has told the NI Assembly Economy Committee this lunchtime that the hospitality sector is now spiralling out of control amid the impacts that COVID19 is having on the sector.

Colin Neill told members of the NI Assembly Economy Committee:

“We now have a disaster on our hands. This is an emergency situation.”

“Overnight thousands of jobs went to the wall and we are expecting thousands to go by the end of the day – this is real, and the government are watching this happen as time ticks away. We need to stop the clock on domestic bills for our people - we need an emergency programme and package in place TODAY.”

“Our fear is that the sector will be truly decimated by the end of the week. We are talking about tens of thousands of people being made redundant. The impact that this will have on families as our people struggle to put food on the table and pay bills, will be catastrophic.”  

The immediate demands outlined by Colin Neill from Hospitality Ulster includes:

• A staff support package of £200 per week so that they can put food on the table

• Domestic bills frozen for staff

• 100% rates holiday for a year for our sector

• £25,000 grant introduced straight away

• Clarity that loan schemes will be available here, with an easy application process

• All utility bills frozen for our industry

• Government to call on landlords to freeze rent

• Central platform to utilise staff that have been impacted in other businesses like care homes, food production and indeed the health service

Hospitality Ulster launches dedicated employers hotline in response to COVID-19

Hospitality Ulster in partnership with legal specialists MTB Solicitors have established a dedicated hotline for members affected by COVID-19, as an immediate response.

This hotline which can be accessed by calling 07736284764 will provide members affected by COVID-19 with all the necessary legal guidance as they face many difficult challenges now and in the coming period.

This will include:

• Employment Law

• Contractual Law

Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster commented:

“Hospitality Ulster has reacted very quickly to very challenging and evolving situation. We have brought forward the preeminent legal specialists MTB Solicitors to assist our members with all their employment queries. We recognise the severity of this situation and the wider impact this will have on society and will be doing everything in our power to help our employers in this unprecedented period.”

Colin Mitchell, Partner, MTB Solicitors commented:

“We understand that employers will have a range of questions they need answered and we want to answer these in a quick and efficient manner. As legal specialists, we will provide swift and important advice on the relevant employment and contractual issues and would encourage anyone with questions to give us a call.”

Local government meeting COVID-19 challenges - NILGA

Derek McCallan, Chief Executive, NILGA

As the UK moves into the ‘delay phase’ of the virus, the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland (PHA) has the lead and is the principal reference point for councils in relation to the latest advice and guidance.  Government direction moves through Public Health England to the PHA, and council chief officers are in very frequent contact with them and the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland as part of central-local civil contingencies efforts.

The primary focus for councils is the continuity of critical functions for the public, namely: waste collection and disposal, registration, and burials. Other statutory and non-statutory functions may be deferred for a period of time if required, and any associated impacts will be monitored.  Core back office functions have some flexibility in their delivery, and localised, multi-site geographic nature of council facilities offers further resilience, with staff spread around locations to meet greatest need.

At some point, parental caring and home working, along with those ill and self-isolating, will significantly reduce the workforce and affect services. Councils are dynamically considering their approach to enabling parental leave in the event of schools’ closures.

This situation could continue for several months and has not yet peaked; therefore, council business continuity plans are being kept under review for all service areas, with a focus on pandemic and the risk of loss of staff inhibiting or preventing delivery of services.  As a result, the maximum redeployment of staff into the critical functions is being considered as councils can affect those arrangements. 

Measures are being put in place to limit large groupings of critical staff to reduce the chance of them all being temporarily prevented from working, for example minimising gatherings in depots at the start and finish of the day.  There are also options to reprioritise refuse collection patterns.

Enhanced cleaning programmes are underway in council facilities, as well as scenario / rehearse responses if required.  Councils can conduct decontamination as circumstances dictate.

Acknowledging the responsibility of local government to try to take as much risk out of the situation and help ease the growing burden on health services, councils are following PHA direction on indoor and outdoor events, advising staff to only travel and meet when it is important to do so. Maximum use of phone calls and technology in service delivery is now being encouraged, with protocols and facilities being honed to ensure effective remote working and integrated communication.

Similarly, councils are keeping under dynamic consideration their planned events programmes and public access to leisure and community facilities. 

Chair of SOLACE, David Jackson said:

“We are following the scientific evidence-based advice; currently it is considered that wide-scale closure of facilities would be more harmful than beneficial because this could lead to a subsequent spike of cases that overstretches health resources. There is also an aspect of building immunity that helps to mitigate a peak in the number of higher vulnerability cases.  What we must do is follow the Government direction and PHA advice to help the Health Service to prioritise their care for more vulnerable people across Northern Ireland.  If facilities do close, we will look to redeploy staff, including agency staff, into other service areas or facilities, subject to the virus risk assessment.”

Chief Executive of NILGA, Derek McCallan said:

“The priority, as always in a civil contingency situation, is to reduce the threat to life for more vulnerable people.  To that end council staff are being asked to minimise contact with those who are potentially more susceptible, providing service and advice by phone. Applying the key PHA message that excellent hand, sneeze and cough hygiene is our most important habit is vital and beyond this every aspect of service delivery and wellbeing is being diligently pursued to minimise risks.”

Councils are additionally conscious of the local economic impacts as a result of responses to the virus, hence the need to balance any reaction with a desire to maintain as much business as usual as is possible.    

Councils will be taking evidence-based decisions within national and regional advice that are locally appropriate, taking account of local service, facility and community circumstances.

Council emergency management teams – locally and at group level - meet regularly, including online.  

Chamber President warns North West businesses could be decimated by COVID-19

Redmond McFadden, President, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce

Derry Chamber President Redmond McFadden has warned that businesses in the North West will be decimated by COVID-19 if government does not provide adequate support.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy last night announced a range of measures to help Northern Irish businesses navigate the crisis, including the deferral of domestic rates bills between April and June. Chancellor Rishi Sunak also announced a stimulus package of £330bn in business loans, £20bn in other aid, a three-month mortgage holiday, and support for retailers and pubs in Great Britain.

Around 80 businesses in the North West have already been forced to close due to the crisis and, with the situation only set to worsen, businesses need further clarity as soon as possible to ensure they can survive.

Redmond McFadden, President of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, said:

“These measures simply don’t go far enough. A three-months rates holiday for businesses here is welcome but we need much, much more from the Executive to keep our regional economy afloat. We’ve also had next to no clarity on how businesses can continue to support staff who are sick or need to self-isolate. Given our proximity to the border and the importance of cross-border trade and travel for our members, having two sets of guidance and advice for people in Donegal and in Derry no longer seems sustainable. We need greater alignment between the two sides of our border to ensure clear messaging and advice for businesses and families.

“We know of around 80 businesses already in the North West who have had to close their doors, and thousands of jobs have been lost. Retail and hospitality businesses are at particular risk, and households and livelihoods across the region are likely to be wiped out if they don’t immediately receive the help they desperately need.

“The Chancellor’s announcement that the UK Government will provide a package of £330bn in business loans will not fix the problem either. Loans are still loans and business owners can’t be expected to make repayments if they don’t have a business to return to. For many, taking on new loans will only add to their anxieties and worries at the moment. Government subsidies or grants are more sustainable solutions which will pump funds into the economy, allow businesses to pay their workers, and help the economy survive.

“Chamber will remain open, available and accessible to support local business throughout this difficult period. I am urging companies and business owners to get in touch with us and share with us your concerns, worries and what challenges you are facing. We will be working hard to secure support and guidance from government and provide the answers which our members need.

“Now is the time for the Executive and the UK Government to show decisive leadership and provide imaginative and creative solutions which will save our businesses. We need government to take the lead, help businesses keep people in work, and allay our fears. We don’t need loans – we need lifelines.”

Hospitality Ulster Reactive Statement on Beannchor Group announcement this evening

Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster

Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster said:

“This shows the critical nature that the hospitality sector is now in, here.”

“Even some of the biggest employers are having to take drastic measures - no business is too big not to feel the negative impacts of COVID19. They are all in a precarious position.”

“Beannchor Group, one of our biggest and best hospitality sector employers, will have looked long and hard before taking this difficult decision in an attempt to try and get through this very difficult period.”

“There has been many other small businesses laying off staff in the last few days and I only dread to think of what is truly ahead of us if the NI Executive doesn’t bring forward an industry specific rescue package soon.”

Reacting to the statement by Finance Minister Conor Murphy MLA this evening, Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster said:

Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster

“After an empty and non-committal statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer late this afternoon, we have welcomed further clarity from the Northern Ireland Finance Minister, Conor Murphy MLA, who has brought forward some emergency measures to reduce the cost of rates on businesses at this very uncertain time.”

“We note that all businesses will pay zero rates for the next three months and that the issuing of bills will move from April to June which will assist with some easing of cashflow, but we are still a huge way away from what’s needed; it’s not enough; and it may be too late for many.”

“Many of our members are rapidly losing their businesses and staff and we need more measures to be implemented immediately. The stress and strain on our people is now immense as they fear they will not be able to provide for their families, pay bills or put food on the table.”

“It’s now time for the UK government to get real about the problems that we are facing here and level up in our hour of need and provide the NI Executive with more funding. We are crying out for a lifeline before our industry sinks without trace in what could be a matter of days.”

Trade bodies working closely with Executive to address COVID-19 crisis

Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive, Manufacturing NI

Manufacturing NI, alongside other trade bodies, has been working intimately with Executive Ministers, the Department for the Economy, Invest NI and other agencies since last week to report and address live and emerging issues facing businesses throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

The virus is already significantly disrupting businesses across Northern Ireland in all sectors, and manufacturing firms have been especially severely hit.

Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive, Manufacturing NI, said:

“Collaboration like this, across all areas of the economy, will be vital to ensuring we tackle this crisis as a single unit. The issues which face manufacturing firms right now are being felt across all sectors, and joining together to pool resources and expertise is a common sense approach to help stabilise the Northern Ireland economy.

“We have also produced a series of COVID-19 factsheets for manufacturers which address challenges including managing staff health, pay, leave and absence; managing business finance, tax, rates, and insurance; and managing business operations, which can be found on our website, www.manufacturingni.org. 

“I am urging any firms who need support or guidance to get in touch with Manufacturing NI as soon as possible, as well as encouraging everyone to share their ideas with us on how to tackle this crisis effectively.”

Manufacturing NI has published a range of factsheets to help firms struggling in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. To access them, please visit http://www.manufacturingni.org/mni_covid_19-_factsheets

Reaction from Community Pharmacy NI on Health Minister appeal on abusive behaviour towards health services staff

Reacting to a statement from the Health Minister’s calls for support to be shown to frontline health workers, Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI said:

“We echo the words of the Health Minister this afternoon.”

“In the past number of days, we have witnessed an unprecedented surge on our pharmacy services in all local communities. Tens of thousands more people have flocked to pharmacies on a daily basis, as the Covid-19 crisis has deepened.”

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive, Community Pharmacy NI

“We would like to remind the public that community pharmacists are front line health workers who must be protected from getting sick, so they can continue to deliver a service to those who need it.”

“As a result, we will be changing how we work in community pharmacy and would ask for public support to manage this. There will be significantly reduced access to pharmacies. Access will be restricted to keep low numbers inside pharmacies. New counters are also being put in place in many pharmacies to help manage social distancing requirements. Please be patient with these changes and work with us.”

“In addition, patients should be flexible and allow pharmacies up to 48 hours to get repeat medicines ready for collection once forms are handed into the pharmacy. Again, please be patient with these changes.”

“Finally, it cannot be reiterated enough that YOU SHOULD NOT visit your local pharmacy if you are unwell or experiencing Covid-19 symptoms. Please be mindful that we need pharmacy teams to remain well so the service remains in place.”

“Pharmacists will ensure everyone gets their medicines and that supplies are managed safely. Our absolute priority is the health of our patients and our staff. Be patient with us and other healthcare workers as we continue to deliver this service in extremely challenging times.”

Hospitality Ulster demands government instruction and industry rescue package following PM avoidance remarks

Reacting to the comments by the Prime Minister at a press conference this evening, Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster said:

Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster

“The advice given out this evening by the Prime Minister about avoiding the likes of pubs and restaurants is devastating news for the sector here. We should now prepare for severe consequences for the staff and businesses in the sector as this will be an extremely difficult period.”

“The NI Executive must now give instructions if we are to close and put a rescue package in place to support the 65,000 staff affected. The hospitality sector across Northern Ireland will suffer overwhelming and immediate pain in a short period of time.”