National Public Health Emergency Team (2020)

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET /ˈnɛfət/; Irish: Foireann Náisiúnta Éigeandála Sláinte Poiblí[1]) is a group within Ireland's Department of Health that, according to former Minister for Health Simon Harris, is currently "overseeing and providing direction and expert advice across the health service and the wider public service, on the national response to" coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).[2]

According to The Irish Times, NPHET was created, in order to deal with the emerging SARS-CoV-2 problem, on 27 January 2020.[3]

Background

NPHET was monitoring the spread of the virus before it was confirmed to have reached Ireland.[4][5] When established in 2020, it initially had a medium-sized room in the Department of Health.[6] It then moved to a larger room as events developed.[6] Eventually, with the spread of the virus, the daily meetings were conducted remotely using Zoom.[6]

The first known case of COVID-19 to have arrived in Ireland was announced on 27 February 2020, in a woman who had been skiing in Northern Italy and had flown back through Dublin Airport, travelled by bus to Connolly station (Ireland's busiest railway station) before exiting into Northern Ireland by train; her case was confirmed two days later.[7] The first known case of COVID-19 in a resident of the Republic of Ireland was confirmed in the county of Dublin on 29 February 2020, in a secondary school student who had returned from an affected area in Northern Italy.[8][9]

NPHET continued to meet after the virus had arrived in Ireland to co-ordinate the national response to the pandemic.[10][11]

Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan chaired NPHET from the beginning of the establishment until he announced that he is stepping away as chief medical officer on 2 July 2020.[12][13] Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn was subsequently appointed Acting Chief Medical Officer and chaired NPHET, with the support of three other deputy chief medical officers until 5 October 2020.[6][14] Meetings tend to start with an epidemiology report on the latest viral developments in Ireland.[6] Holohan asks for the perspectives of public health doctors.[6] Two letters are drafted at the end of each meeting, one for the Taoiseach and the other for the Minister for Health.[6] In addition, before each meeting, Holohan gives its agenda to the Minister for Health in a call and queries if the government has anything specific they wish to have discussed.[6]

NPHET has used press briefings to communicate updates, guidelines, statistics and policy changes to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland.[15][16][17][18]

After it emerged that the agenda and meeting notes of NPHET had not been published since the end of March, and following calls in Dáil Éireann for be rectified, minutes were subsequently published at the end of April.[19][20] Shortly before this, NPHET published details of its governance structure.[21][22]

Members

Members are from the Department of Health, HSE, HIQA, HPSC, ICGP and HPRA, as well as consultants, epidemiologists and the Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group and the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group.[6][23] Three new members were appointed to the National Public Health Emergency Team on 6 January 2021.[24]

Member Role
Tony Holohan Chief Medical Officer, Chair of NPHET[23]
Ronan Glynn Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health[23]
Heather Burns Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health[23]
Desmond Hickey Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health[23]
Eibhlin Connolly Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health[23]
Alan Smith Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health[23]
Colette Bonner Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health[23]
Paul Bolger Director of the Department of Health Resources Division[23]
Colm Bergin Consultant Infectious Diseases, St. James's Hospital and Professor of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin[23]
Tracey Conroy Acute Hospitals Division of the Department of Health[23]
John Cuddihy Interim Director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC)[23]
Cillian de Gascun Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, Chair of the Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group[23]
Colm Desmond Corporate Legislation, Mental Health, Drugs Policy and Food Safety Division of the Department of Health[23]
Colm Henry Chief Clinical Officer of the Health Service Executive (HSE)[23]
Lorraine Doherty National Clinical Director for Health Protection of the HPSC and HSE[23]
Mary Favier President of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP)[23]
Fergal Goodman Primary Care Division of the Department of Health[23]
Kevin Kelleher Assistant National Director of the HSE[23]
Marita Kinsella Director of the National Patient Safety Office at the Department of Health[23]
Kathleen Mac Lellan Social Care Division of the Department of Health[23]
Jeanette Mc Callion Medical Assessor of the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA)[23]
Tom McGuinness Assistant National Director at the Office of Emergency Planning at the HSE[23]
Siobhán Ní Bhrian Lead for Integrated Care of the HSE[23]
Philip Nolan President of Maynooth University[23]
Kate O'Flaherty Head of Health and Wellbeing at the Department of Health[23]
Darina O'Flanagan Special Advisor to NPHET and the Department of Health[23]
Siobhan O'Sullivan Chief Bioethics Officer of the Department of Health[23]
Michael Power National Clinical Lead, Critical Care Programme, HSE Consultant in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin[23]
Phelim Quinn Chief Executive Officer of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)[23]
Máirín Ryan Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Health Technology Assessment of HIQA[23]
Breda Smyth Director of Public Health Medicine of the HSE[23]
Deirdre Watters Head of Communications of the Department of Health[23]
Liam Woods National Director of Acute Operations of the HSE[23]
David Walsh National Director of Community Operations of the HSE[23]
David Leach Deputy National Director of Communications of the HSE[23]
Mary Horgan President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland[24]
Karina Butler Chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee[24]
Mark Ferguson Director General of Science Foundation Ireland[24]

Subgroups

Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group

The Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group is a subgroup of NPHET.[25]

It is chaired by Cillian de Gascun, the UCD-based Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory.[26]

The Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group met for the first time on 5 February 2020 in Dublin.[27]

Acute Hospital Preparedness Subgroup

The Acute Hospital Preparedness Subgroup was formed on 3 March 2020 and met for the first time on 4 March 2020. It provides assurance on the preparedness of the acute hospital system to tackle significant increases in hospital admissions, and that plans for preparedness are being implemented across the public hospital system.[28]

It is chaired by Tracey Conroy, Assistant Secretary, Acute Hospitals Policy Division at the Department of Health.[23]

Behavioural Change Subgroup

The Behavioural Change Subgroup was formed on 18 March and is made up of nine members.[23] It was set up to provide insights and evidence to support the communications strategy and the wider work of NPHET.[29]

It is chaired by Kate O'Flaherty, Head of Health and Wellbeing at the Department of Health.[23]

Guidance and Evidence Synthesis Subgroup

The Guidance and Evidence Synthesis Subgroup was formed to facilitate information exchange on the public health and clinical guidance relating to COVID-19. The subgroup provides assurance to NPHET on coordination of surge evidence synthesis capacity to support the development of guidance.[30]

It is chaired by Máirín Ryan, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Health Technology Assessment at HIQA.[23]

Modelling group

Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group

The Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group (IEMAG) is a modelling group of NPHET[23] formed on 11 March 2020 to provide statistical support and advice to NPHET and the Chief Medical Officer.[31] Staff at University College Dublin and other mathematical researchers in Ireland are involved in developing mathematical models for stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.[32]

It is chaired by Philip Nolan, the president of Maynooth University.[33][34]

See also

References
  1. "Ráiteas ón bhFoireann Náisiúnta Éigeandála Sláinte Poiblí - Dé Céadaoin an 8 Iúil 2020". www.gov.ie.
  2. Quann, Jack (13 February 2020). "European health ministers meet to discuss coronavirus". Newstalk. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  3. Boland, Rosita (3 April 2020). "Covid-19 jargon buster: What are 'the curve', R0 and the NPHET?". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  4. "NPHET monitoring of coronavirus outbreak continues, no confirmed Irish cases". The Echo. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  5. Quann, Jack (31 January 2020). "Emergency team to monitor coronavirus as outbreak declared 'public health emergency'". Newstalk. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  6. Ryan, Philip (5 April 2020). "Inside the all-powerful coronavirus taskforce - Ireland's decision-makers in a crisis: Our new rulers during this health crisis are a crack team of doctors, scientists and senior civil servants". Sunday Independent. p. 12.
  7. "First Northern Ireland coronavirus case confirmed as 'drive-through' test centre set up at Antrim hospital". Belfast Telegraph. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  8. Libreri, Samantha (1 March 2020). "School to close for 14 days as precaution over virus". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  9. "First case of Covid-19 diagnosed in east of Ireland". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  10. "NPHET 'concerned' with number of nursing home clusters". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  11. "National Public Health Emergency Team considers testing and current public restrictions". Irish Examiner. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  12. "Holohan 'taking time out' from role over wife's illness". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  13. Daly, Adam (2 July 2020). "Dr Tony Holohan to step away from work as Chief Medical Officer for family reasons". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  14. Bowers, Fergal (1 October 2020). "Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan to return to work on Monday". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  15. Quann, Jack (15 March 2020). "COVID-19: 40 new confirmed cases in Ireland". Newstalk. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  16. Quann, Jack (25 March 2020). "Over 230 new coronavirus cases in Ireland". Newstalk. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  17. Quann, Jack (1 April 2020). "New guidelines to help combat COVID-19 in hospitals and nursing homes". Newstalk. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  18. Quann, Jack (2 April 2020). "COVID-19: Median age of Irish patients who die reaches 82". Newstalk. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  19. Cunningham, Paul (30 April 2020). "Dept of Health publishes further minutes of NPHET meetings". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  20. "Minutes and Agendas from meetings of the National Public Health Emergency Team: COVID-19 (Coronavirus)". 30 April 2020.
  21. Murphy, David (29 April 2020). "Dept publishes details of NPHET governance structure". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  22. "National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) for COVID-19: Governance Structures". 28 April 2020.
  23. Thomas, Cónal (29 April 2020). "Who sits on the National Public Health Emergency Team and what do they do?". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  24. Horgan-Jones, Jack (6 January 2021). "Nphet gets three new members to boost infectious disease, scientific resources". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  25. "Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team". MerrionStreet.ie. 7 February 2020.
  26. Costello, Emma (4 March 2020). "Coronavirus in Ireland still an evolving situation, says expert". Extra.ie. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  27. "Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - First meeting of the Expert Advisory Group takes place". www.gov.ie. 5 February 2020.
  28. "National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) COVID-19 Subgroup: Acute Hospital Preparedness". gov.ie. Department of Health. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  29. "National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) COVID-19 Subgroup: Behavioural Change". gov.ie. Department of Health. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  30. "National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) COVID-19 Subgroup: Guidance and Evidence Synthesis". gov.ie. Department of Health. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  31. "Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group to NPHET: Technical Notes". gov.ie. Department of Health. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  32. "Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group to NPHET". University College Dublin. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  33. "Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, explains the measures to #FlattenTheCurve #Covid19 #Coronavirus". 30 March 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020 – via Facebook.
  34. "Philip Nolan - Maynooth University". Maynooth University. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
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