Western Trust COVID19 Information Updates

For details on the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme please click here

For latest Visiting Guidelines visit our COVID19 Visiting Guidance page.

Given the significance of staff absence in relation to the impact on our services over the next 4-6 weeks, we will publish staff absence figures on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Please note that the COVID-19 absence figures change not just on a daily but hourly basis due to the high levels of community transmission and the associated contact tracing requirements.

The Trust is asking members of the public to please follow the NIDirect government website for the latest guidance on inbound travel into Northern Ireland  Coronavirus (COVID-19): travel advice | nidirect  particularly where an individual has or is planning to attend an appointment at a healthcare facility.  This request has increased importance due to the recent emergence of a new Omicron variant of COVID19.

Click here to visit the Community Planning and Information Page.

Click here information on changes to our services

The Western Trust alongside all Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland, is facing unprecedented pressures due to the escalating rate of infection of COVID-19 and the subsequent increasing numbers of COVID-19 positive patients in our Hospitals.

The Trust is already at a peak in terms of COVID-19 patient numbers and projections are indicating that from the third week of January 2021, that number could be set to ‘double’. In addition, the South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen, is already currently operating at 118% bed capacity.

We have therefore taken the very regrettable, but necessary decision to announce as of today that routine elective inpatient, outpatient and day case surgeries will be postponed until further notice. Red flag and some time-critical procedures and clinics will continue, but will be reviewed daily.

Social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce the social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID19).

They are:

• Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
• Avoid non-essential use of public transport, varying your travel times to avoid rush hour, when possible
• Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
• Avoid large gatherings, and gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants, theatres, bars, clubs
• Avoid large gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media
• Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services

Everyone should follow these measures as much as is pragmatic. For those who are over 70, have an underlying health condition or are pregnant, we  strongly advise you to follow the above measures as much as you can, and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family where possible.

Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms. If you have symptoms you should book a free test. More information on Booking a Test

COVID19 Staff Testing service is now operational across the Western Trust with one centre in Altnagelvin Area Hospital and one centre in Enniskillen . It is important that we have a consistent approach to accessing COVID19 Staff Screening. Testing is for health care workers or a person in their household that they have direct contact with who is displaying COVID19 symptoms.

Public Health guidelines and advice regarding COVID19 – click here.

Public Health Agency Surveillance Reports – click here.

Click on the link below to visit the NI Direct Website for advice.

nidirect.gov.uk/coronavirus

Click here for COVID-19 Information in Other Languages, BSL, ISL and Easy Read