UHW cardiac campaigner Willie Doyle.
MEMBERS of the 24/7 Cardiac Cover for Waterford and the South-East campaign group have outlined further concerns in relation to current operations at the Department of Cardiology in University Hospital Waterford (UHW).
“We were contacted by a concerned mother who brought her six month old baby boy to UHW on Monday September 21st. It was discovered that the child had an enlarged heart and complications,” explained campaigner Willie Doyle.
“He was first on the list for an echocardiogram in the Cardiac Department on Friday 25th. At 4.45pm that evening a nurse informed his mother that the Cardiac Department was closing and the procedure could not be carried out until Monday 28th.”
After receiving treatment on Monday, the boy was transferred to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin by ambulance on Tuesday September 29th.
He is now making a good recovery at home. However, Mr Doyle said the family suffered unnecessary stress as a result of the delay in carrying out the procedure.
In response to a query from The Munster Express, the HSE explained that an Echocardiogram is a non-invasive procedure carried out at the Department of Cardiology in UHW but not in its Regional Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab).
“UHW offers confidentiality of treatment to all patients and does not comment on individual cases and details pertaining to them. The hospital is happy, however, to discuss directly with any patient and/or their family as to any concerns they may have,” a spokesperson said.
The HSE reiterated that 24/7 medical consultant cover exists for all patients at UHW.
“It is important to note that there is 24 hour, seven day a week medical consultant cover for all medical patients, including cardiac patients, in UHW. Multidisciplinary staff, attached to both the cardiac and paediatric services at the hospital, provide a comprehensive range of services and dedicated 24 hour care,” the spokesperson said.
However, this has been disputed by Mr Doyle. “It should be remembered that these are medical consultants who are on call and not necessarily cardiac consultants,” he said.
Mr Doyle began the campaign for 24/7 cardiac care after he discovered the cath lab at UHW currently operates from 8.30pm to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.
According to the HSE, the cath lab in UHW performs approximately 40 invasive cardiovascular procedures each week, including Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), pacemaker and cardioverter defibrillator implantation.
“The number of procedures has increased year on year from 898 carried out in 2008 (May to Dec) to 2,836 carried out in 2014,” the HSE spokesperson explained.
“Patients who require stents following a heart attack are looked after in the cath lab in UHW; outside of the availability of UHW’s service patients are transferred to another hospital in the South/South West Hospital Group in Cork or to a hospital in Dublin.”
In response to these figures, Mr Doyle said: “We are very disappointed that despite this increase in procedures to just under 3,000, no effort is being made to extended opening hours. The second cath lab exists on campus. It just needs to be retrofitted. Imagine the lives that could be saved if the cath lab was manned on a full-time basis when you consider that just under 3,000 people can be treated by three consultants working on a five day 8.30am-5.30pm rota.”
However, the HSE has reiterated its commitment to the progressive development and extension of invasive cardiology services in Waterford.
The spokesperson said: “Development of cardiology services in the hospital continues with a third Consultant Interventional Cardiologist appointed to UHW in September 2014. UHW and the South/South West Hospital Group are committed to the progressive development and extension of invasive cardiology services in Waterford, with the immediate priorities being the building of a second Cath Lab and an increase in the number of consultant cardiologist posts. Submissions to this effect have already been made and further development in 2016 will be dependent on resources available from this process. In the wider context of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) services, a review of these services is underway and will be completed shortly in Dublin. Once complete, PCI capacity nationally (including Waterford) will be examined. This review will look at the further provision of PCI services nationally in the best interest of patients and on evidence on the volume of clinical need, the quality and safety of the service that can be provided, the ability to staff it safely and the resources available.”