Patients across the Southeast can now access 24-hour, seven-day-a-week cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford, with the service officially commencing today.

The new round-the-clock service means patients experiencing serious cardiac emergencies can receive specialist treatment at UHW at any time of the day or night. Until now, the hospital’s cardiac service operated from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.

The Department of Health says the expanded service will improve access to life-saving treatment, reduce travel times for patients and families, and strengthen the delivery of specialist cardiac care across the region.

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill says the launch marks a significant step forward for healthcare in the Southeast.

“Today represents a major step forward for healthcare provision in the Southeast. The commencement of 24/7 cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford will improve access to critical services and ensure that patients experiencing cardiac emergencies can receive specialist treatment closer to home,” she said.

“This development reflects this government’s commitment to investing in and delivering regional health services so that people can access the right care, in the right place, at the right time. I am so grateful for the hard work and dedication of our clinical teams, hospital management, the HSE and my Government colleagues in bringing this important service enhancement to fruition.”

The introduction of a 24-hour cardiac service has been a long-standing campaign in the region. The deaths of Thomas Power in 2017 and Una McDermott in 2018 intensified calls for the service, while campaign groups including the South East Patient Advocacy Group and the Hand on Heart campaign had been calling for its delivery for more than a decade.