James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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234. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of PCI cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18684/18]

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.

In the interim, a mobile cath lab service has been provided. The mobile cath lab was initially deployed in October 2017 and last week I directed that it should stay in place for a further number of weeks to allow time for UHW to complete recruitment of the additional staff required for the service extension to the existing cath lab.

A modular cath lab has also been proposed, as an interim solution pending the outcome of the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services, and the Department of Health is currently examining this proposal at my request.

A national review of specialist cardiac services is underway, which aims 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. As set out in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, investment in cardiac catheterisation laboratories and other cardiac services infrastructure nationally will be informed by the outcome of the National Review.