Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 January 2011
336 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health and Children further to the Adjournment Debate response of the 14 December 2010, if inpatient cardiology services will continue to be provided at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Ennis; when the cat lab at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick will be operating on a 24 hour basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48226/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has made significant progress in re-organising acute hospital and related services in the mid-west region since April 2009. Ennis General Hospital, as part of the regional hospital network, now undertakes an expanded range of day case surgery and diagnostic work. The range of services provided in Ennis will continue to be expanded, so that people can have most of their health care needs met as close as possible to where they live.
In deciding on the best model for the provision of cardiology services in the region, the unanimous medical advice is to centralise acute cardiology to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick. This is in line with the model being developed in the region, whereby services are organised on an integrated regional basis, delivered in a range of locations and settings. To facilitate this, a fourth cardiologist is being appointed in 2011. This will facilitate a separate cardiology rota, giving patients access to a cardiologist and catheterisation services on a 24-hour basis for emergency cases in the region. All cardiology services currently available in Ennis General Hospital will continue to be provided and these services will be expanded further, with the addition of cardiac failure clinics and cardiac rehabilitation services for patients who have had the acute phase of their illness managed in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.
