REF:MHEM0121
CIRCULAR TO ALL PNA MEMBERS 29/01/21
Dear Colleagues,
Please find attached updated information on the current Covid-19’ vaccination program. As you know, the PNA has expressed its ongoing frustration at how vaccines were being distributed and the belief that some Mental Health settings had been left behind. The PNA issued a press release last Friday, January 22nd, and communicated with the HSE the many frustrating and infuriating examples experienced by our membership.
We were assured by the HSE that their only priority was to ensure that the rollout was delivered to those identified as per their schedule rollout, which prioritised Frontline Healthcare Workers (including Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Services), as a priority in the first instance. Although this is reassuring, we will not be in a position to see if this takes place until the mass rollout of vaccinations (first dose) recommences on February 8th.Something that will require constant scrutiny.
This week we were informed of the following.
- First dose vaccinations will recommence on February 8th for Frontline Workers. It is envisaged that all Frontline Healthcare Workers will be vaccinated by February
- It is hoped that the Portal system for scheduling vaccinations will be ready by next week. This is a necessity to ensuring that vaccines are distributed correctly and is a major focus at this point in time.
- Up to Wednesday 27th January, the HSE has administered a total of 161,500 vaccines across a variety of settings including long term care and health care workers.
In the coming weeks we may encounter similar scenarios where MH and ID services are not prioritised. If this does take place we must raise these issues immediately. With that in mind, I wish to thank everyone who contacted Head Office to raise concerns about their areas, they are most valuable to us in our communications with the HSE and are integral in resolving issues that may arise.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Michael Hayes
Deputy General Secretary
CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINKS TO VIEW / PRINT / DOWLOAD
Opening Statement by Mr. David Walsh, Work Stream Lead, Vaccination Process and Workforce, HSE
Opening Statement by Mr. Fergal Goodman, Assistant Secretary, Dept of Health
Opening Statement by Prof Brian MacCraith, Chair, High Level Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccination