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The funeral cortege of Jimmy Duncan, pauses outside the Silverbirch Hotel as piper, Robert McCutcheon, plays as a mark of respect, to the former owner and Omagh businessman. JB6
Last orders for gentleman Jimmy Posted: 5:52 pm January 12, 2021
By Jonathan Rainey
A LONE piper played on the steps of the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh as the town paid its last respects to one of the most popular figures in Tyrone’s hospitality sector.
Well-known hotelier Jimmy Duncan passed away peacefully at his home in Oakland Court, Omagh, on Thursday morning. He was 76-years-old.
A native of Drumquin, Mr Duncan (pictured right) and his wife Hazel acquired the Silverbirch Hotel, on Gortin Road, in 1977. It is now being run by their son, Allan.
As preparations continue for expected surge in Covid-19 hospital admissions, the Western Trust reveals that 1,300 staff are currently off on sick leave or are self-isolating
Renewed appeal for people from a health or social care background to help out over the coming weeks
Many Western Trust staff are off due to self-isolating or sickness.
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Around 1,300 staff within the Western Trust are currently off because they are either self-isolating or are sick, it was revealed today.
Management at the Trust said this was double the normal rate of staff absences at this time.
It comes as the local health service prepares for an expected surge in Covid-19 hospital admissions in the coming weeks.
Derry hospital has maximum of 16 intensive care beds to cope with expected surge in Covid-19 patients
Once capacity is reached, patients will be transferred to Nightingale Hospital in Belfast
The Nightingale Hospital in Belfast will deal with any Covid patients unable to be treated at Altnagelvin.
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Altnagelvin Hospital will have a maximum of 16 intensive care beds to cope with the expected surge of Covid-19 patients in the coming weeks.
Once the capacity of the Derry hospital s intensive care unit has been reached, local Covid patients will be transferred to the Nightingale Hospital in Belfast.
The Western Trust today outlined details of how they plan to deal with the projected imminent surge in Covid-19 admissions to hospital.