A WEEKEND SERVICE for heart attack patients in Waterford University Hospital, which has been sought by a long-running campaign in the region, has received a commitment of funding for the first time according to a government minister.
Minister of State Mary Butler has said that funding will be provided to recruit an additional 19 new staff for cardiology services at the hospital.
The Fianna Fáil Waterford TD told local radio station WLR that it will allow for an 8am-to-8pm cardiology service from Monday to Sunday.
The Department of Health confirmed the details of the announcement, saying that the HSE has advised that a draft strategy for pay and planning of provision across the health service “includes provision for 19.5 staff in total” to complement the existing cardiac services and to “extend the opening hours of one cardiac cath lab at UHW to a seven day, 8.00am – 8.00pm service”.
Currently, the cath lab closes after 8pm on Friday evenings and does not open again until Monday.
This weekend-long gap in the services has caused anger in the region throughout the past decade and made it a reoccurring issue at election time by campaigners seeking a 24/7 cath lab.
Services previously operated at a 9am-5pm basis on weekdays, until a second cath lab was provided and resourced following pressure. This has allowed it to operate from 8am-to-8pm.
As the cath lab in Waterford only operates from Monday to Friday, people who suffer heart attacks on weekends have often been rushed to Cork or Dublin for emergency treatment.
The labs deliver a specialsed emergency treatment called primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) which involves inserting a wire into the blocked artery.
Cardiology doctors at UHW have previously pointed to research, such as from the Irish Heart Attack Audit National Report, that treatment for major heart attacks should be delivered within 120 minutes where possible to prevent long-term damage.
Butler told WLR that funding will be put forward for posts ranging from a consultant cardiologist, to a clerical officer and a porter.
She said she had received a written commitment from HSE chief executive Bernard Gloucester for the new roles.
“On a personal level, I’ve broken my back for months and years to try and deliver this and I have to say I am absolutely delighted,” Butler told Déise Today presenter Damien Tiernan.
Butler added that the Health Minister must officially sign off on the allocation before the current service can be expanded.
While it was not a 24/7 cardiology service as has been sought by campaigners, Buter said it is a “massive step forward” in terms of securing enhanced services in the hospital.
Waterford-based Fine Gael senator John Cummins welcomed the news, noting that while it was not a 24/7 cardiology service as has been sought by campaigners, it remained a “major milestone” for efforts to secure a round-the-clock lab.
“I totally appreciate that there will be some that say this is still not 24/7, however from previous engagement with Cardiologists and management on this issue they would have said that an 8am-8pm seven day service would cover 90-95% of all cardiac cases so this is a major milestone for the expansion of cardiac care in the south east.”
Independent TD Matt Shanahan, who was elected on the back of his leadership of the campaign to secure a 24/7 service, said it was a “positive for Waterford” and the southeast.
But he cautioned that there was “no date” for the implementation of the enhancement. He added that the Department of Health has maintained that “no cardiac developments or recruitment can happen” until a national review of services is published.
This report includes a look at resourcing of cardiac services across the country’s hospitals.
Late last year, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly told The Journal that he has received the national review and intends to publish it this year.
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