Sinn Féin spokesperson for Health Colm Gildernew is calling on the Minister for Health to urgently put in place practical and psychological support for health workers.

Colm Gildernew said: “Our health workers are now in the midst of the greatest pressures they have faced since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“They are exhausted and traumatised but they continue to persevere to protect the public from the virus and keep the HSC from collapse. 

“They must be properly supported to do this, now.

“I understand that psychological support available to health workers at the start of the pandemic has been reduced at a time when they need that psychological support most, as ICU attendances are surging.

“Staff have been re-deployed to hospitals considerable distances from their homes to deliver services at the frontline of this pandemic.

“The department needs to deliver, not consider, hotel accommodation and taxi transport for health workers travelling large distances.

“While nurses and HSC workers can’t be created overnight the necessary supports to allow health workers to do their vital work in the middle of the crisis can be.”