TRAUMA TEAM OFFERS COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT
Trauma team offers counselling and support
A COMMUNITY trauma team has been set up by the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, in association with a number of voluntary organisations, to offer support and counselling to those who are suffering as a result of Saturday's bomb.
The team is based at the Omagh Emergency Co-ordination Centre in the town's High Street.
Mr. David Bolton, the Trust's director of community care, said the trauma team had been established because of the distress caused to the entire community.
"Many of those who provided help at the scene, those who brought people to the hospital, and those who provided care and support to the injured, dying and the bereaved, have been deeply distressed by what they have seen and heard," he said.
"Others not directly involved have also suffered distress. Our community is mourning."
He went on: "Through the community trauma team, we hope to support people at this time of uncertainty, distress and sadness. We are especially mindful about the impact of the bombing on children and young people."
In addition, the Tyrone County Hospital and Erne Hospital is also arranging a number of opportunities for staff to help them cope with the experience of managing the tragic circumstances of the past few days.
On Wednesday, a total of nine patients were still receiving treatment for their injuries at the Omagh hospital, while 16 remained at the Erne.
Encouraged
In a statement this week, the Tyrone County said its staff had been encouraged and supported by messages and flowers from around the world.
"We are greatly appreciative to receive these thoughts from so many, as we continue to respond to the needs of those injured on Saturday," the statement said.
Referring to the arrangements for counselling, it went on: "We are acknowledging that we will all need time to fully recover. However, foremost in our thoughts are those victims and their families who have been injured and bereaved.
The hospital re-opened outpatient services for clinics scheduled for yesterday (Wednesday). Appointments are being rearranged for the patients affected by those clinics cancelled.
The Tyrone County remains open for emergency admissions. However, to alleviate pressure on nursing and medical staff, elective surgery was cancelled for the remainder of this week.
Support
Meanwhile, Victim Support workers have been drafted into the local health centre, as back-up to GPs dealing with people suffering from the bomb.
A number of therapists from the Trust are also offering support at the health centre.
Mr. John Slane, a psychotherapist, who was in the centre on Tuesday afternoon, said many patients were going to their GPs, traumatised by the explosion.
"We went down to offer support, and workers from Victim Support have also offered their services," he said.
He said the reactions of those seeking help were perfectly normal, given the traumatic experience they had endured.
"One thing I noticed was that there were a number of referrals to me from the Victim Support workers, for people who had previously been suffering from depression or panic attacks, and who had already been in contact with our services. They were suffering trauma on top of their current difficulties," he said.
"Many people simply need to talk to someone. But wakes and funerals also help people to come to terms with their grief. Omagh is really one big wake at the minute."
He went on: "In the short-term, we are looking at being a support for the GPs as they need it. As the voluntary agencies come in, we can pull back and look to a more educative role for the doctors.
"Our input further down the line would be with people suffering long-term effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder."
Referring to the support system being put in place for hospital staff, he said those who worked with, and were still working with, victims of the blast, needed help themselves, before they could help others.
"For many medical staff in Enniskillen, the old feelings of the Enniskillen bombing would have come back, with the arrival of the Omagh victims," he said.
The Wave Trauma Centre is one of the groups involved in counselling at the Emergency Co-ordination Centre.
The body has expressed its sympathy to all those affected by the catastrophe in Omagh.
A spokeswoman said: "We would like to offer our help and support in any way that may be useful.
"The whole community is in a state of collective shock and grief. We realise this atrocity may reopen the wounds of those previously affected by the 'troubles', and would offer support to all those directly and indirectly affected by the weekend's tragedy."
Wave can be contacted at the Emergency Co-ordination Centre on Omagh 252599, ext. 27, or at Belfast 779922.
Other agencies where help and counselling can be sought are: Cruse, tel. Omagh 244414; Victim Support, tel. (01365) 322475, and, from Tuesday, tel. Omagh 259696; Tara Centre, tel. Omagh 250024; Samaritans, Omagh 244944; Red Cross, tel. Omagh 251116.
A COMMUNITY trauma team has been set up by the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, in association with a number of voluntary organisations, to offer support and counselling to those who are suffering as a result of Saturday's bomb.
The team is based at the Omagh Emergency Co-ordination Centre in the town's High Street.
Mr. David Bolton, the Trust's director of community care, said the trauma team had been established because of the distress caused to the entire community.
"Many of those who provided help at the scene, those who brought people to the hospital, and those who provided care and support to the injured, dying and the bereaved, have been deeply distressed by what they have seen and heard," he said.
"Others not directly involved have also suffered distress. Our community is mourning."
He went on: "Through the community trauma team, we hope to support people at this time of uncertainty, distress and sadness. We are especially mindful about the impact of the bombing on children and young people."
In addition, the Tyrone County Hospital and Erne Hospital is also arranging a number of opportunities for staff to help them cope with the experience of managing the tragic circumstances of the past few days.
On Wednesday, a total of nine patients were still receiving treatment for their injuries at the Omagh hospital, while 16 remained at the Erne.
Encouraged
In a statement this week, the Tyrone County said its staff had been encouraged and supported by messages and flowers from around the world.
"We are greatly appreciative to receive these thoughts from so many, as we continue to respond to the needs of those injured on Saturday," the statement said.
Referring to the arrangements for counselling, it went on: "We are acknowledging that we will all need time to fully recover. However, foremost in our thoughts are those victims and their families who have been injured and bereaved.
The hospital re-opened outpatient services for clinics scheduled for yesterday (Wednesday). Appointments are being rearranged for the patients affected by those clinics cancelled.
The Tyrone County remains open for emergency admissions. However, to alleviate pressure on nursing and medical staff, elective surgery was cancelled for the remainder of this week.
Support
Meanwhile, Victim Support workers have been drafted into the local health centre, as back-up to GPs dealing with people suffering from the bomb.
A number of therapists from the Trust are also offering support at the health centre.
Mr. John Slane, a psychotherapist, who was in the centre on Tuesday afternoon, said many patients were going to their GPs, traumatised by the explosion.
"We went down to offer support, and workers from Victim Support have also offered their services," he said.
He said the reactions of those seeking help were perfectly normal, given the traumatic experience they had endured.
"One thing I noticed was that there were a number of referrals to me from the Victim Support workers, for people who had previously been suffering from depression or panic attacks, and who had already been in contact with our services. They were suffering trauma on top of their current difficulties," he said.
"Many people simply need to talk to someone. But wakes and funerals also help people to come to terms with their grief. Omagh is really one big wake at the minute."
He went on: "In the short-term, we are looking at being a support for the GPs as they need it. As the voluntary agencies come in, we can pull back and look to a more educative role for the doctors.
"Our input further down the line would be with people suffering long-term effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder."
Referring to the support system being put in place for hospital staff, he said those who worked with, and were still working with, victims of the blast, needed help themselves, before they could help others.
"For many medical staff in Enniskillen, the old feelings of the Enniskillen bombing would have come back, with the arrival of the Omagh victims," he said.
The Wave Trauma Centre is one of the groups involved in counselling at the Emergency Co-ordination Centre.
The body has expressed its sympathy to all those affected by the catastrophe in Omagh.
A spokeswoman said: "We would like to offer our help and support in any way that may be useful.
"The whole community is in a state of collective shock and grief. We realise this atrocity may reopen the wounds of those previously affected by the 'troubles', and would offer support to all those directly and indirectly affected by the weekend's tragedy."
Wave can be contacted at the Emergency Co-ordination Centre on Omagh 252599, ext. 27, or at Belfast 779922.
Other agencies where help and counselling can be sought are: Cruse, tel. Omagh 244414; Victim Support, tel. (01365) 322475, and, from Tuesday, tel. Omagh 259696; Tara Centre, tel. Omagh 250024; Samaritans, Omagh 244944; Red Cross, tel. Omagh 251116.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0108
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.