THE Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for Covid-19 patients at the Mater Hospital has been temporarily stood down at the Mater Hospital.

It comes as the number of patients with Covid-19 requiring intensive care has dropped to the point where currently only a small number of patients with the virus are in ICU at hospitals across the North.

Belfast Trust says the Mater Hospital will remain the primary hospital in its district treating and caring for Covid patients, having done so since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

The move comes after North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín repeated calls for the resumption of other health services at the Mater Hospital.

“I have spoken to the Chief Executive of Belfast Trust regarding the Mater Hospital,” she said. “The Nightingale Hospital was stood down two weeks ago, and while I am pleased that no one needs the Covid ICU at present and I am calling again for other services to resume ASAP.  The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented pressures which have caused significant disruption to the entire health and social care sector. The Mater Hospital and its staff have been on the frontline during the pandemic. They have been at the heart of looking after people and saving lives, often in very difficult circumstances."

In a statement, the Belfast Trust said it was determined to provide ICU services to others in need or critical healthcare. 

“The pandemic has taken a huge toll on our ability to provide surgery over the last number of months," said a spokesperson. "We need to ensure more patients who are waiting for urgent, complex surgery and oncology care with the need for ICU support will be treated.  

“From Monday 26 April, we have temporarily stood down our Covid ICU in the Mater Hospital to allow us to expand ICU capacity at Belfast City Hospital, providing the care where it is needed most. We have always said that our plan to combat the pandemic needs to be agile and flexible."

And the Trust spokesperson urged the public to continue to follow the pandemic protocols which had helped to tame the disease for now. 

“The currently low number of Covid-19 hospital admissions is also indicative of how much effort has gone into combatting the disease across every aspect of society in Northern Ireland," the spokesperson said. “We urge everyone to continue to follow public health advice: wash your hands frequently, wear a face covering, keep your social distance. And while we know the course of the pandemic is not yet over, we want to take the time today to again thank our staff for their herculean efforts over the past year in the fight against Covid-19 and its ever-changing landscape.”