Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Heart Failure is an important public health issue. The detection and prevention of heart failure is a priority and the National Clinical Programme for heart failure supports many approaches to improving quality of life for people living with the syndrome. The programme (HSE) is currently engaging with the European Society of Cardiology who have an excellent platform to enable registry development on not only heart failure but other cardiovascular conditions. Working under the guidance of Dr Peter Kearney the National Heart Programme are working to initiate the EuroHeart programme cardiovascular database project in Ireland.

There are clear, evidence-based guidelines and excellent Irish case studies of effective models of care in heart failure however it is recognised that further focus and development is required to prevent unnecessary hospitalisations and deaths and maximise people’s quality of life. While progress has been made there are proportions of the population that are not being reached.

To understand the challenges more, a National Review of our adult Specialist Cardiac Services which includes heart failure was commissioned. The Reviews recommendations will inform the future provision of cardiac services nationally including requirements for data to support development. The Report is now finalised and is being prepared currently for my consideration.