Committee for Health - Inquiry into COVID-19 and its impact on Care Homes

Extract of Minutes of Proceedings, Tuesday 20 October 2020

Room 30, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Mr Colm Gildernew MLA (Chairperson)
Ms Pam Cameron MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA
Mr Gerry Carroll MLA
Mr Alan Chambers MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Ms Órlaithí Flynn MLA*
Mr Pat Sheehan MLA
Apologies: Colin McGrath MLA

In Attendance:

Ms Éilis Haughey (Clerk)
Ms Jean Barkley (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Brendan Miskelly (Clerical Officer)

* Ms Flynn attended the meeting via video-conference.

The meeting commenced at 1.06 pm in public session.

3. Committee Inquiry COVID-19 and its impact on Care Homes – Stakeholder Evidence

Representatives from NIC-ICTU joined the meeting via video-conference at 1.07 pm.

Mr John Patrick Clayton, Policy Officer, UNISON
Ms Rita Devlin, Associate Director of Nursing Policy and Practice, RCN
Mr Alan Perry, Representative, GMB
Ms Anne Speed, Chair of NIC-ICTU Health Committee and Head of Bargaining and Representation, UNISON

The Union representatives provided views on the Committee's inquiry on the impact of COVID-19 on care homes.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

The Chairperson thanked the union representatives for their attendance.

The briefing session was reported by Hansard.

The Committee noted the following papers relevant to this session:

• an updated RaISe briefing paper on COVID-19 and Care Homes – an International Perspective;
• RCN's written submission to the Committee's Inquiry;
• a copy of UNISON's submission to the Department of Health Rapid Learning Initiative on Covid-19 and Care Homes; and
• a copy of UNISON's Stakeholder Engagement on the Draft COVID-19 Care Home Action Plan Phase 2.

[Extract]

View the full minutes of proceedings.