Weekend cardiac care stalled

Weekend cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford remains unavailable despite Minister of State Mary Butler’s recent statement that it was her “expectation” that it would begin by the start of November as the latest development in the eight-year saga.

"Our expectation was that we would see weekend coverage in place by the start of next month, but I am hesitant to give out timelines,” Minister Butler said in a Dáil debate at the start of October. “Sometimes issues can arise which are no one’s fault, they are just issues which can occur as part of any recruitment process.”

The Minister said that the commencement of 8-to-8 cardiac care seven days a week would amount to “90-95% coverage of all cases. From there, it will take another final push at the Department of Health to reach the magic number of 100%.” 

She said weekend coverage is “due shortly”.

A statement from the Regional Health Forum, South, of the HSE confirmed that cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford, which is operated from two catheterisation laboratories, operates on weekdays, excluding bank holidays, from 8.00am – 8.00pm and 8.00am – 6.00pm for the existing and new labs respectively.

They confirmed that “UHW has recently received approval to progress staffing for a 7-day 8am to 8pm service, recruitment is currently underway.”

Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler said, “As I stated previously, timelines in relation to recruitment can be unpredictable, due to difficulties which inevitably arise. Recruitment for the staff required to open the weekend service commenced in September and I am advised by hospital management that it has been very successful to date.”

“However, a small number of the outstanding posts remaining required a derogation from the HSE, as they were being filled by existing staff, who essentially secured promotional roles. The posts they would vacate have to be backfilled before they are permitted to take up their new positions.”

The Minister said she had “worked closely with UHW General Manager Ben O'Sullivan” and the various stakeholders in the project from the HSE to receive the nod from the government to allow “the sanctioned posts to be backfilled”. The posts, which include a Senior Cardiac Physiologist and Senior Radiographer, require permission via the HSE’s pay and numbers strategy, from funded posts within the 2024 budget. 

Minister Butler said that “approval was granted on 16th of October and recruitment begun shortly thereafter. Having engaged consistently behind the scenes, to secure the staff required to expand cardiac care and provide weekend coverage for the first time, I now await a date from hospital management as to when services will go live.” 

The Minister said: “I expect the service to be in place very shortly” after being “really encouraged by the recent feedback from key people.” 

The provision of cardiac care was of recent controversy in Dáil Eireann when Independent Waterford TD Matt Shanahan challenged the Tánaiste Micheál Martin on his track record on the issue of cardiac care in UHW in a fractious Dáil debate. Deputy Shanahan said the Tánaiste had "renege[d] on his promise to deliver 24/7 cardiac care to University Hospital Waterford, UHW, and to the people of the South East."

"The Tánaiste first met me when I was a protestor campaigning for this vital service. His fully broken promise restored a seat to his party in Waterford."

The Tánaiste argued that “a second Cath lab is open" and said that the need for "18 new staff for weekend cover is to be completed", which would amount to "90% coverage, which is enormous progress during the term of this Government." 

He paid tribute to Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler for her "very impactful work" on the issue.