Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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81. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the provision of a modular cath laboratory which would allow for the performance of PCI in addition to or to replace the mobile diagnostic unit at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17014/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Following an independent review of the need for a second cath lab in University Hospital Waterford (UHW), the Herity report concluded that the needs of the effective catchment population for Waterford University Hospital could be accommodated within a single cath lab. Funding has been provided to support extension of the existing cath lab operating hours to 12 weekly sessions per week, or by 20%, as recommended in the Herity Report. Recruitment efforts to support this service extension are ongoing.

A mobile cath lab was deployed in October 2017 for an initial period of 20 weeks and this was extended in February for another 10 weeks to allow further time for the recruitment effort. A modular cath lab has also been proposed, as an interim solution pending the outcome of the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services, and my Department is currently examining this proposal.

The aim of the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services 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. In terms of scope, the National Review will cover scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults. The Steering Group for the review held its first meeting on 31 January last.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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82. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been refused surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16237/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

The National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.