There is still no certainty when cardiac services at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) will expand.
Despite promises the hours of operation of the catheterisation lab would expand from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday to a 12-hour service 7 days a week, a Waterford TD says the resources have not been put in place to make it happen.
Independent TD Matt Shanahan submitted parliamentary questions, inquiring of the Department of Health what recruitment had taken place to support such an expansion.
In response, the Department of Health said it would 'incrementally ' expand the service during 2021:
The HSE has advised that discussions are still on-going to commence extended working days (8am-8pm) in the Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford. It is intended to progress to 7 day extended hours working on an incremental basis during 2021.
Matt Shanahan says hospital management had previously indicated the expansion would start last February:
"They were talking about beginning initiating the extension of hours back in February, but you need the additional technical people. The question I had put in was to highlight where is the recruitment to support that? Where is the allocation of resources? That part of the question wasn't answered."
The written response also highlighted that work has begun on a second cath lab, which is expected to be operational from September 2022.
The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of a second cath lab in University Hospital Waterford. The Contractor for the construction of the new Cath Lab at University Hospital Waterford (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 Department made reference to the work of the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services which began in January 2018. This Review aims to establish population-based need at national, hospital group and county level for adult cardiac services.
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 with a view to completion 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.
See full text of question and answer below:
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Health the additional recruitment that has taken place at UHW in terms of roles (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) : (a) cardiac radiographers (b) cardiac technicians (c) cardiac and general nursing supports to provide for additional cathlab operational hours, (d) Identification and allocation of additional cardiac bed numbers (e) Approved expansion of the hospital group budget for both increased cardiac activity at UHW and increased cardiac procedure consumables resulting . minister for health would be aware of stated commitments given by HSE to increase the operational hours of the cardiac catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Waterford to an 8am to 8 pm schedule Monday to Friday since February 2021 and then to further extend to a seven day per week service 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM – this service expansion has yet to happen. The consultant manpower required to initiate this activity extension is presently on site at UHW but allied resourcing has not been developed it appears
REPLY
In 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.
The HSE has advised that discussions are still on-going to commence extended working days (8am-8pm) in the Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford in. It is intended to progress to 7 day extended hours working on an incremental basis during 2021.
The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of a second cath lab in University Hospital Waterford. The Contractor for the construction of the new Cath Lab at University Hospital Waterford (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 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. This Review aims to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme.
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 with a view to completion 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.
As the issues raised in the deputy’s question are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
