Thousands demonstrate over Waterford cardiac care

More than 5,000 people have marched through the streets of Waterford calling for 24/7 cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford (UHW).

The demonstrators want a permanent second cath lab for UHW, the crowds gathered on Saturday afternoon at 2pm at Ballybricken before marching through the city.

Hilary O’Neill, a founder of the South East Patient Advocacy Group (SEPAG), said the campaign will continue. “We are the only region in the country that doesn’t have a 24 hour service.”

“We have been fighting this since 2012 since the Higgin’s report came out and we were promised it,” she said.

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Ms O’Neill said even though a mobile cath lab has been promised for UHW, it can move in and out of the hospital at any time. “It is not even going to be there five days a week, I’ve heard. I have a lot of concerns about it,” she said.

Retired consultant Dr Paddy Condon, representing the Consultants at UHW, said the mobile cath lab is a “stop gap to cut the waiting lists...Unfortunately it conflicts with the news that they are sending patients down to Cork to have a diagnosis. They can’t do both. If they do get the mobile unit in they should not undermine the project by keeping the contracts with Cork hospitals for patients.”

Regarding the promise of a second review, Dr Condon said the Herity report has been widely discredited.

One of the speakers and a survivor of a major cardiac arrest John Tobin from Tramore said he was lucky to reach Cork within the recommended 90 minute period. “If I have another heart attack and have to be transferred to Cork I probably won’t survive because my heart is already compromised. We need 24/7 cardiac care.”

He added: “My heart stopped three times, but I managed to stay conscious for the journey to Cork. I only had 90 minutes of a gap.” Two ambulances were also on standby on route from Waterford to Cork.

He made it to Cork on the borderline of the recommended time, but there was a lot of damage done to the heart, which he reckons could have been prevented if he was brought to UHW.

Another speaker Tom O’Dwyer, described how he was in the middle of having a stent inserted when the procedure was stopped halfway as an emergency patient arrived.

Minister John Halligan, TDs David Cullinane and Mary Butler and mayor of Waterford Adam Wyse attended the demonstration.

Mayor of the metropolitan area of Waterford, John Hearne said, “A backup lab is okay but it is not the solution.”