Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2021
348. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will provide definitive date for the implementation of a full 24/7 primary percutaneous coronary intervention service at the University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51908/21]
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.
Discussions are still on-going to commence extended working days in the Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford.
The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of a second Cath lab in University Hospital Waterford. The HSE has advised that funding was allocated in the 2019 Capital Plan for the provision of a second Cath lab at University Hospital Waterford and planning permission was received from Waterford City and County Council in January 2020.
The HSE has further advised that the Contractor for the construction of the new Cath Lab at UHW was formally appointed on 25th March 2021. The project commenced on 17th May 2021 with a 13 month works programme. The project could not commence earlier due to levels of Covid Infection presenting at UHW.
It is expected the main Contractor will hand over the project by the end of June 2022. Equipping and commissioning will follow for a period of 2 months and the Cath Lab is expected to be available for operational use from September 2022 onwards.
The HSE has advised that discussions are on-going in relation to the 12 bed day ward to support the second Cath Lab and that UHW will commence recruitment of the required staff for the Second Catheterisation Laboratory in the coming months
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. While substantial progress has been made on the Review, the COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted on its progress. Work has now recommenced on the Review to progress this over the coming months. As part of this, the Steering Group, under the Chairship of Prof Philip Nolan, has reconvened and a meeting was held on 20th September.
To assist with current interventional cardiology diagnostic elective procedures, UHW has set out a ‘Service Level Agreement’ with UPMC in Waterford. This is a three day week service agreement to assist with scheduled care capacity.
