Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter, to which I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly.

I assure the Deputy that the HSE has no plans to reduce cath lab services from the current level of provision. We all recognise that, in the particularly difficult circumstances the country is facing, hospitals are facing financial challenges in delivering acute services. Waterford Regional Hospital, like all other hospitals, must face these challenges in order to comply with its statutory obligations and remain within its allocated and agreed budget. That is no easy task. Waterford is pivotal to the provision of acute services in the south-east hospital network. Within a budget of almost €133 million and with a staff of over 1,700, the hospital's 2011 service plan sets out targets for the treatment of 23,000 inpatients, almost 20,000 day cases and over 149,000 outpatient attendances.

Waterford Regional Hospital has been achieving savings, through a variety of approaches to obtain better value for money. It is continuing to introduce efficiencies in how it carries out its business. For 2011, there is an increased focus on maximising income collection, a reduction in agency staffing, seasonal bed closures and the elimination of unrostered overtime. Other approaches include reductions in overtime and staff travel and subsistence, better use of generic drugs, more efficient use of locum doctors, using procurement deals negotiated nationally and implementing initiatives introduced under the public service agreement.

Significant investment continues at the hospital. The cardiac catheterisation laboratory - or cath lab - which is the subject of this Adjournment matter, was officially opened last year. Waterford Regional Hospital is now the designated regional cardiology intervention centre for a catchment area of over 460,000 people. HSE south prioritised the development of the cath lab to a five-day service in 2011 because it was recognised that the service needed expansion in order to support all the hospitals in the network. Additional funding of over €1 million has been provided to HSE south - bringing overall funding to almost €2.5 million - so that a five-day service might be provided at the lab. The Minister is pleased to confirm that the capacity of this service will be further developed as resources allow. This will assure Waterford Regional Hospital's role as a major centre for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease.

As with all acute services, it is a matter for the hospital to ensure that the service is delivered in an efficient and effective manner within the agreed budget and in the context of the staff complement provided. The Minister is not aware of any intention to reduce the service from the funded five-day per week model. He welcomes the HSE's plan - details of which have been communicated to the Department of Health - to continue to run the lab on a five-day basis for the remainder of the year in line with its funding and service plan requirements.

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