Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 3: Time to act: Tackling epidemics and pandemics together (33IC/19/R3) – Irish Red Cross Society

¿ Ha incorporado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en los planes estratégicos u operativos pertinentes?

Los compromisos han sido incorporados en
estrategia
plan operativo

A nacional nivel

Explicación:

• There is an existing relationship with Health Services Executive (HSE) the lead state agenda in Ireland in tackling epidemics & pandemics. Since 2007 the Irish Red Cross under the State’s Major Emergency Framework has the Health Service Executive as its linked Principal Response Agency (PRA) which allows the HSE to seek support of the Irish Red Cross in pandemic, as well as in severe weather emergencies, flooding, or nursing home transports.
• A Service Level Agreement was signed between the HSE, Red Cross, Saint John’s Ambulance, and Order of Malta relation in 2020 setting out and formalising the relationship of each related to the pandemic response.
• A reporting mechanism was established to capture activities and related costs for cost recovery purposes.
• During COVID-19, Irish Red Cross participated in training initiatives related to pandemic that were offered by HSE. These trainings included train the trainer as well as more general training in donning and doffing of PPE.
• HSE enabled access  for Red Cross volunteer to their online training materials on HSE LAN – each of our volunteers in the units had an account set up to access HSE resources.
• The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is an independent statutory body who set the standards for education and training for pre-hospital emergency care in Ireland. The Irish Red Cross is a PHECC Recognised CPG Service Provider, meaning we have been licensed to deliver pre-hospital emergency care services in Ireland since 2010. PHECC carry out routine in-depth assessments to ensure that the Irish Red Cross meet the standards and maintain a high level of service. Most recently in 2023Q3 , the Irish Red Cross scored 90% in the Governance Validation Framework audit which PHECC carried out. We will be building on recent part to intensifying our engagement our engagement with HSE.
• At the time of reporting, the Irish Red Cross is developing a new strategic plan 2025 to 2030. A key focus area will be deepening engagement with HSE on epidemics & pandemics together as well as building early warning and rapid response capacity in hard-to-reach, underserved and high-risk communities

Ha trabajado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución con otros asociados para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

En asociación con:
gobierno y/o autoridades públicas
CICR/Federación Internacional
otras Sociedades Nacionales de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja

Ejemplos de cooperación:

Since 2007 the Irish Red Cross under the State’s Major Emergency Framework has the Health Service Executive as its linked Principal Response Agency (PRA) which allows the HSE to seek support of the Irish Red Cross in pandemic, as well as in severe weather emergencies, flooding, or nursing home transports.  The HSE often requests the assistance of the Irish Red Cross during times of staff shortages or particularly busy times such as public holiday weekends to facilitate discharges from hospitals.

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Irish Red Cross members supported the HSE by facilitating patient transfers for non-emergency treatments such as chemotherapy, dialysis, GP & appointments for older people. They also provided assistance at vaccination centres across Ireland and delivered almost 15,000 food deliveries nationally, to isolated and vulnerable households and individuals.

More recently, Irish Red Cross provided 25 ambulances and transported 17 patients to other care Centres arising from the fire at Wexford General Hospital in March 2023 and supported following the Midleton Community Hospital flooding.

In 2023, National Ambulance Service (NAS) for the  first time they have sought the Red Cross to help in discharging people from hospital due to their staff shortages in January – 14 days straight the IRC transported people from hospitals, nursing homes.  200 calls over the fortnight.  Positive feedback from NAS.

Relevant staff and members stayed engaged with IFRC learning on COVID response as it emerged.

¿Ha habido dificultades para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Dificultades en relación con:
recursos humanos
limitaciones de financiación
falta de apoyo de la dirección
conflicto de prioridades
falta de conocimientos o de pericia específica
falta de capacidad y/o de apoyo (técnico, financiero o de otra índole)

Describa detalladamente estas dificultades:

There has been changes in the senior management roles across the organisation. This has meant a leave of induction and learning has been required before all key strategic relationships are re-focussed on. The development of the forthcoming strategic plan is an opportunity to align strategy further and identify how existing relationships can be strengthened.

¿Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en el trabajo y la dirección del Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución?

Tipo de repercusión:
fortalecimiento de la cooperación entre el gobierno o las autoridades públicas y la Sociedad Nacional
aumento de la eficacia y la eficiencia de los programas y operaciones
establecimiento o fortalecimiento de asociaciones con otros actores humanitarios
formación y capacidad de los miembros del personal y de los voluntarios (en el caso de las Sociedades Nacionales);

Describa detalladamente las repercusiones:

The covid response resulted in Irish Red Cross having to coordinate with other units as well as HSE for improved efficiencies and effectiveness, as well as reach. The combined impact resulted in national reach. Since then Irish Red Cross has partnered on a number of occasions with Order of Malta on key events where Red Cross didn’t have sufficient capacity to crew events, but combined together organisations managed to deliver.

At the time of reporting, we are entering a partnership with Safetynet Primary Care and Crosscare to support International Protection Applicants who are homeless and living in tents in Dublin who are not catered for through existing services.  Safetynet is a medical charity that delivers quality care to those marginalized in society without access to healthcare, including homeless people, drug users and migrants. The gap in service provision has meant that there has been a dearth of accurate information getting to the IPAs and about their specific need hampering appropriate responses to vulnerable people.

In May 2024 the Irish Red Cross responded to Safetynet request assist by putting a team of volunteers on the ground to do outreach to the informal IPA encampments to support with the healthcare needs of the men, specifically by identifying those who require a support from a Safetynet nurse or GP.

There is a need now to further plug the gap in meeting the health and social care needs of rough sleeping IPAs. This will be done through developing a role in Crosscare with the skills and expertise to support Safetynet in the provision of health care , coordinate with red cross and IPAS to ensure vulnerable IPA rough sleepers have needs met as efficiently and comprehensively as possible.

During the covid pandemic, Irish Red Cross participated in training initiatives related to pandemic that were offered by HSE. These trainings included train the trainer as well as more general training in donning and doffing of PPE. HSE enabled access  for Red Cross volunteer to their online training materials on HSE LAN – each of our volunteers in the units had an account set up to access HSE resources.

5. Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en las comunidades a las que el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución presta servicios?