Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
1026. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for the recruitment of the additional interventional cardiologists and supporting staff to enable University Hospital Waterford to staff a 24/7 primary percutaneous coronary intervention service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41583/21]
View answerIn 2016, the Herity Report concluded that the needs of the effective catchment population of University Hospital Waterford (UHW) could be accommodated from a single Cath lab and recommended that the operating hours of the existing Cath lab should be extended.
The HSE has advised that discussions are still on-going to commence extended working days (8am-8pm) in the Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford in. It is intended to progress to 7 day extended hours working on an incremental basis during 2021.
The Herity Report also recommended that the current 9 to 5 provision of emergency pPCI services at UHW should cease to allow the hospital to focus on the much larger volume of planned work. The then Minister for Health asked the Department to address the implications of this recommendation by arranging for a National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services.
The National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018. This Review aims to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme.
While substantial progress has been made on the Review, the COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted on its progress. However, it is intended that the Review will continue and work is now underway to progress this. The Steering Group are due to reconvene in September with a view to finalisation of the Review over the coming months.
