Total of 838 staff in self-isolation says Southern Health Trust

It is made up of a large marquee and several portable cabins, located in the car park opposite the main building.

The area offers refreshments, rest areas and quiet rooms for staff to use during this period whilst they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic along with an area for Occupational Health and Psychological Support Service for staff.

In a separate development it has been revealed there are large numbers of Southern Health and Social Care Trust staff (838) undertaking home isolation either as a result of having symptoms themselves or a member of their household has developed symptoms.

In a briefing to elected representatives the Southern Health Trust outlined other responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The expansion of Primary Care Covid-19 centres continues across Northern Ireland including the opening of GP-led centres in Dungannon and Banbridge.

All Trust inpatient paediatric care has moved to the Blossom Children and Young People’s Centre at Craigavon. All other services - special care baby unit, maternity and paediatric assessment will continue from Daisy Hill. If a child is unwell, their GP or GPOOHs should be contacted in the usual way. If a child needs urgent care, they should be brought to Blossom Children and Young People’s Centre on the Craigavon site. If it is an emergency call 999.

The Emergency Dental Care Clinic which operates at the Emergency Department at Craigavon Area Hospital has now (temporarily) closed. If people have a dental emergency please contact your local dentist for advice and onward referral for treatment if appropriate.

A new Mental Health Emergency Assessment Unit has been set up to take crisis referrals in the short term, as part of the response to COVID-19.

Based in the Ferns Resource Centre in the Bluestone Unit, the service will accept suitable referrals from GPs, NIAS, PSNI and the Emergency Department 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Trust continues to work with providers in the independent sector including care homes regarding PPE. The policy is that PPE is allocated on the basis of need whether that is in the Trust or in an Independent sector setting.

The Trust will ensure that central guidance regarding PPE is followed at all times and that PPE gets to the people who need it.