Kildare GAA and HSE Joint Initiative to Fight Against Covid-19

Post date: Mar 17, 2020 2:56:22 PM

This post is to make you aware that Kildare GAA are working with the HSE to explore options to promote and coordinate the provision of local community volunteer support, across a potential wide range of areas to ensure our community healthcare systems maintain their function during these challenging times. The HSE anticipate that their Community Services will experience an unprecedented surge in demand in the coming weeks, and capacity will be stretched within our communities in Kildare.

GAA clubs exist in every parish across the county and the membership network is a valuable resource that can be of great assistance to the HSE, and other organizations, who deliver vital services during this challenging time. Services that this initiative would be seen to support include Long Stay Nursing Units in Athy and Maynooth, home support services for people of all ages living in their own homes, disabilities services for families, mental health services, general community physio, occupational therapy, public health nursing to mention a few.

In particular, the following skills sets have been identified as part of contingency planning requirements: All Trades men or women (Electrician, Plumber, Carpentry etc ), IT Specialists, Cleaners, Teachers, Special Needs Assistants, Chefs, Caterers, Drivers, Train the Trainers qualified personnel. In addition, retired Military / Gardai and others with a similar background in Crisis Management Operations are being requested for their background and skills in scheduling, mobilisition and coordination tasks that may arise. This is a Whole Community Effort in support of the most vulnerable in our society. HSE will take the lead with this initiative and deliver the necessary training online, via webinar and video-tutorials which will cover procedures for hand hygiene, manual handling, and infection control.

We would like to generate awareness of how you can support your community. It is anticipated that further dialogue will take place over the next 48hrs between the HSE and Kildare GAA and we will issue further communication at this stage.