The HSE has confirmed 24/7 emergency cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford will begin on Monday July 6th.

The move marks a major milestone for healthcare services in the South East, after years of campaigning and repeated calls for round-the-clock cardiac treatment at UHW.

The date was confirmed at a meeting of the regional health form this morning in Waterford.

The hospital’s current cardiac care service operates from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, but the upgraded primary PCI service will now run continuously and is expected to treat an additional 60 to 80 patients every year suffering severe heart attacks.

Previous cardiac care commitment

A commitment to introduce full-time cardiac care at UHW was first made in 2016 by Waterford TD Mary Butler and Taoiseach Michael Martin outside the hospital during the election campaign, however the service faced years of delays before a confirmed start date was announced.

Campaigners, clinicians, patients and public representatives have long called for a full-time primary services at UHW.

Additional staff are now being recruited to expand overnight and on-call cover, with the development being welcomed as significant progress for patients and families across Waterford and the wider South East.