HSE issues cold weather warning for Co. Tipperary & the South East

The HSE’s South East Crisis Management Team has met, in light of inclement weather forecast for later this week. Severe cold weather is predicted to affect counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.

The HSE will be monitoring updates from Met Éireann and the Office of Emergency Planning and advises that hospital and community healthcare services are working to ensure safe delivery of services for the public. The HSE will be working in partnership with local authorities, the Gárdai and voluntary agencies over the next few days.

The HSE is reminding patients/clients, health service staff and the community to take note of advice issuing during this week and as regards arrangements that may need to be in place, should the cold weather, accompanying snow and ice and other associated effects cause disruption to everyday services.

Ms. Aileen Colley (Chief Officer of South East Community Healthcare and Chair of the HSE’s South East Area Crisis Management Team) has advised that the HSE will be updating its website (www.HSE.ie), its social media accounts and communicating with media as to any effects (such as postponement of appointments, clinics etc. and as to any emergency arrangement advice).

Speaking after a meeting of the Team, Ms. Colley said: “From things like frozen water pipes and inaccessible roads to people not being able to get to hospital appointments or be visited by a public health nurse, a range of challenges present to the health services in inclement weather as regards ensuring that emergency services are prioritised and that we all get through a crisis as safely as possibly . We will do everything possible to maintain all essential services, particularly services to vulnerable people at home in the community. We appeal to people to check that they are stocked up with any medicines and health care supplies they may need this week. We ask people to remember that they may not be able to get to a pharmacy if conditions are poor.”

"The usual advice to the public in preparing for poor conditions is to make sure you have the three “Fs” stocked up – that’s food, fuel and fluids. Where it is safe to do so, we’d ask people to consider checking in on elderly or vulnerable members of the community, and to make sure they have supplies of food, fuel, water and medicines. Further updates will issue during the week. As part of the ongoing preparations, the HSE remains in constant contact and active engagement with all other relevant agencies, and we would like to thank them for their continued work and support. The Winter Ready website, www.winterready.ie has useful advice for all.”