05 March 2021

Urgent vaccines update and other news

• Urgent: vaccination update - CHO Areas 1, 6, 7 and 8
• The HSE launches three-year Corporate Plan
• IHCA urges HSE to act on waiting lists

Urgent: vaccination update

In recent updates, we have supported members to keep up to date with the Covid-19 immunisation programme. Please note, the HSE said this week that shortfalls in the supply of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine and difficulties with supplies of the Pfizer option had delayed vaccine rollout but the situation should now improve.

As well as improvements in supply, CHO Areas are now also using alternatives to the HSE portal, adopting manual procedures and asking for collated local lists of eligible staff so they can invite them for vaccination promptly. Unfortunately, deadlines are invariably very tight, so please keep an eye out for updates and ensure the following action is taken. 

SHORT DEADLINES - CHO Areas 1, 7 and 8 

CHO areas 1, 7 and 8 have now asked for collated sector responses so that no-one is missed off the local vaccination list. We have agreed that the AOI should collate these lists. All data submitted will be handled securely by the AOI.

Therefore, could FODO Ireland members please ensure all eligible team members who practise in these areas and who have not yet been invited for vaccination, including those who are temporarily out of the practice, complete the following surveys. This applies even if they have previously registered via the HSE portal.

• CHO Area 1. Donegal, Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan, Cavan/Monaghan complete the survey at the bottom of the page here by end of Sunday 7 March
• CHO Area 7: Kildare/West Wicklow, Dublin West, Dublin South City, Dublin South West and CHO Area 8: Laois/Offaly, Longford/Westmeath, Louth/Meath complete the survey at the bottom of the page here by 5pm on Monday 8 March.

CHO Area 6. Wicklow, Dun Laoghaire & Dublin South East. Please ensure you complete this excel sheet for all eligible team members who practise in these areas, including those who are temporarily out of the practice. The password is CovidOpto. Please submit the completed Excel sheet to [email protected]

If you have any questions, please contact us by emailing [email protected] 

The HSE launches three-year Corporate Plan

This week, the HSE published its three-year Corporate Plan. The plan has been developed by the Board of the HSE, endorsed by the Minister of Health and is based on research and consultation with staff, stakeholders and the public. Read the plan.

The FODO Ireland policy team is analysing the plan in detail and will keep members up to date with our work. If you have any feedback on the plan, please email us at [email protected].

IHCA urges HSE to act on waiting lists

The Irish Hospitals Consultants Association (IHCA) has called for urgent action by the HSE to prioritise reduced waiting lists and plan an increase in acute bed capacity.

It follows the HSE's National Service Plan 2021 announced on 24 February, which the IHCA welcomed but it said it didn't match the scale of the problem. Around 860,000 people are sitting on waiting lists for care.