John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The expansion of cardiac services at University Hospital Waterford, UHW,is a topic on which the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and I have worked continually because we are acutely aware of the need and the impact it has on our constituents in Waterford and the wider south east region. We have worked collaboratively along with other public representatives and campaign groups on a cross-party basis to advance the provision of cardiac services at UHW. It is a touchstone issue that is at the forefront of many people's minds in Waterford. This is a good thing because the people of Waterford and the south east deserve equity of access when it comes to life-saving cardiac interventions in the same way as people in other regions have.

It is for this reason that the then Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, approved, the construction of the second cardiac cath lab at UHW at the end of 2018 against the advice of officials because he and the Government believed in the case that was being put forward by UHW, which was that in order to adequately treat patients in the south east in a timely fashion, a second cath lab was required as a first step to expanding services which, at the time, only operated from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a week.

During the lifetime of this Government and the previous one, considerable extra resources have been provided to increase the level of cardiology services at UHW. Prior to the opening of the second cath lab, a service-level agreement was in place at UPMC Whitfield Hospital to provide additional hours to assist with cardiac diagnostics. This service then returned to UHW with the opening of the second cath lab in UHW in September 2023. We now have two cath labs operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. five days a week, which has has a really positive impact on service availability and has led to a significant reduction in the waiting list. Indeed I understand that we now have one of the lowest waiting lists in the country for cardiac procedures.

In her response in this House to me on the same topic in December 2023, the Minister of State confirmed that 22 of the 24 additional posts were already in place and the focus was very much on how we move to the next phase of development, namely, moving to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. While some political representatives wrongly stated at that time that the embargo would prevent further expansion of services, we both said that it would not because the case to have that allocation in the 268 whole-time equivalents that were approved by Government for this year had been successfully made by the Minister and us as Government representatives.

When I was mayor, I remember hosting an engagement with the consultants at UHW regarding primary percutaneous coronary intervention services at UHW. It was said at that time that up to 95% of cases would be covered by 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week services so it is a significant leap forward to get to that point. When does the Minister of State envisage having that 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week cardiac service at UHW? Will management have to have the additional 22 posts approved and in place before we can move to that or can we get to that level of service while the recruitment is ongoing?