Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2017
830. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the option of having two distinct PPCI centres here namely a 24-7 service or a nine-to-five service as per the model of ACS services will remain in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13304/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra831. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if there are grounds upon which emergency PPCI services will cease at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13305/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra832. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will rule out ceasing limited PPCI services at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13306/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra837. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the national review of PPCI services is regarding the way to implement the recommendations of the Herity report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13311/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 830 to 832, inclusive, and 837 together.
The Deputy will be aware that in his review of cath lab services in UHW, Dr Niall Herity recommended that the UHW cath lab should operate as an elective lab which provides all specialised cardiac services except interventional treatment for patients who are having heart attacks (PPCI). Dr. Herity also recommended that the current 9 to 5 provision of these services should cease in order to allow the hospital to focus on the much larger volume of planned cath lab work.
I accept Dr Herity's findings and recommendations and have provided additional funding of €.5m for the UHW in 2017 which will enable the hospital to provide 8 hours additional cath labs activity each week. However, in relation to the cessation of PPCI services at the hospital, as Minister for Health, I want to be sure that any service changes which we implement, will result in improved services for patients using that service. Therefore, I have asked my Department to address the implications of this recommendation by undertaking a national review of all PPCI services with the aim to ensure that as many patients as possible have access, on a 24/7 basis, to safe and sustainable emergency interventions following a heart attack. In the meantime, patients in the South East will continue to have access to out of hours PPCI services at Cork University Hospital (CUH) or St James's Hospital, Dublin.
