Hundreds March For Cardiac Care in the South East

Hundreds of people from across the South East have protested outside the gates of Leinster House over what they claim are inadequate cardiac facilities in the south east, and have called for improved facilities at University Hospital Waterford.

Many people in the South East region have called for 24/7 cardiac care at the hospital but to date, both the Government and the HSE have failed to respond.

The Unit at University Hospital Waterford is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and those that suffer a heart attack outside of these hours is transferred to Cork University Hospital or to Hospital’s in Dublin.

Two weeks ago, Thomas Power, a County Waterford man got a heart attack on a Sunday and was being transferred to CUH in an ambulance, died on route outside Dungarvan despite best efforts to revive him.

Campaigners have said that if facilities were available in Waterford he would have survived.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said at Leaders Questions in the Dáil today that  the sister of Mr Power spoke to a number of politicians today and gave a heart-rending account of the devastation his death had caused.

Mr Martin said a report in 2012, which was accepted by the HSE, had recommended a second cath laboratory for Waterford University Hospital but it never happened.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressed his sympathy to the family of Mr Power but said he could not comment on individual cases.

The Taoiseach who has Dungarvan connesctions pointed out that additional hours had been provided to the cath lab and that extra money had been invested by the HSE. A tender had also been issued by the executive for a mobile cath lab for the area.

 

Hundreds of people staged a vigil outside University Hospital Waterford on recently calling for 24-hour cardiac care for the region.

Health Minister Simon Harris said last month that he is open to a further review on the issue of cath labs in the South East.

“I commissioned an independent clinical review in relation to the cath lab situation in Waterford the minister said.

“I followed the recommendations in full, in terms of the allocation of additional resources, and I’m now putting in place a mobile cath lab.

“As Minister, I’ll always stand by clinical recommendations. I am open, though, after the improvements that Professor Herity has made, of taking course to have a further review on the issue,” he said.