Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated full year cost, current and capital, of providing a mobile catheterisation laboratory for Waterford University Hospital. [19433/18]

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 was 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 also been provided. The mobile cath lab was deployed in October 2017 for an initial period of 20 weeks which has now been extended to allow further time for the recruitment effort.

In regard to cost, the HSE has previously advised that the estimated cost of the temporary additional service was €800,000 for the initial 20 week period. In regard to the cost of such a service for a full year, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly as soon as possible.