Cardiac patients in Waterford to be sent to Cork for treatment

Almost 350 patients in Waterford are to be sent to Cork for treatment under an initiative aimed at defusing controversy over cardiac services in the south-east.

The plan, which is dependent on additional funds being made available to treat the cardiac patients at Cork University Hospital, is being advanced by the South/South West Hospital Group despite opposition from medical staff in Waterford.

Staff in Waterford have been campaigning for the provision of a second catheterisation lab, a facility used to examine patients with serious heart problems, but this was rejected by the Government last year.

A majority of members of the medical board of University Hospital Waterford expressed support before Christmas for the use of a mobile cath lab to help reduce the backlog of patients in cardiac units. They say this would allow patients to be seen at lower cost by their own doctors. However, sources say hospital management overruled their decision in favour of outsourcing treatment to Cork.

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Waiting for treatment

There were 596 patients waiting for cardiac treatment in Waterford at the end of November, according to the hospital group. Since then, 130 of the longest-waiting patients have been sent for tests to the private Bon Secours hospital in Cork and Cork University Hospital. Up to 170 patients remain on the list but have been given dates for procedures in Waterford, and 337 are scheduled for angiography procedures in Cork between now and next June.

A spokeswoman said all patients would be referred back to Waterford and would remain under the clinical care of consultants in UHW.

Clinical staff in Waterford made their case for upgraded cardiac services at a meeting with Minister for Health Simon Harris last month. He undertook to discuss their concerns with his officials.

Threat to resign

Local TD and Minister of State

John Halligan

threatened last year to resign from Government after failing to secure the upgrading of cardiac facilities, but ultimately stayed put.

This week, Mr Halligan has said plans for a mobile lab are being finalised within the health service. However, the plan to move the treatment of many patients to Cork would appear to confound the need for a mobile unit.

The hospital group spokeswoman said the issue of a second cath lab was dealt with by a report last year – this rejected the proposal – and was now Government policy.

“The recommendations of this report include further expansion of cardiology services in UHW, which have been incorporated into the HSE national service plan for 2017.”