Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Butler and Cullinane for raising the important issue of cardiac services at University Hospital Waterford and for giving me an opportunity to update the House on the latest position in this regard on behalf of the Minister and to convey the total support of the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, on this issue. As they are aware, the Government has taken a number of actions on this important issue starting with approving increased funding to allow for the recruitment of staff to support increased hours at the existing lab. While recruitment has been slow, in the interim, a mobile catheterisation lab has been deployed at University Hospital Waterford and this has led to a decrease in the length of time that people are waiting for diagnostic procedures.

The Deputies will be aware that when the Minister met with Members from the south east on 14 February last, he indicated that he would give consideration to the various issues raised by the group, including the potential for the deployment of a modular catheterisation lab. As I believe he advised in a letter to the Members yesterday, he has now conveyed his view that there is merit in the proposal in order to address waiting times at the hospital further and provide a better service for the people of Waterford and the south east. That is something we all strongly support. He has received advice from the HSE on the proposal and while there is some further work required on the detail, he has asked the Department to proceed without delay to engage with the HSE on the next steps in providing a modular lab. I understand the timeframe for the development of modular builds as outlined by the HSE must include tendering, project design work, planning, construction and commissioning so it will take until next year to deliver. However, I think it is very important that the Minister has committed that this will be funded in the 2019 Estimate and that work should begin immediately on the process to deliver it.

In the interim, the mobile catheterisation lab continues to be deployed. The national review of specialist cardiac services is well underway and issued a report on its sixth meeting yesterday. The aim of this review is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. As set out in the national development plan 2018-27, investment in cardiac catheterisation laboratories and other cardiac services infrastructure nationally will be informed by the outcome of the national review, which is expected to be complete by June 2019.

I know the Minister will continue to work with the Deputies and their south-east colleagues towards achieving better outcomes for all patients in the region.

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