Heart Attack Care in Wexford?

JMT2016

Hey folks,

Just wondering with all the talk on the radio today about heart attack facilities in Waterford - is the fact that most of Wexford is more than 1.5 hours from a 24/7 heart PCI treatment centre an issue for people here?

Here is the report that is being mentioned in the news.

health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Dr.-Herity-Clinical-Review.pdf

And on page 38 there is a picture showing most of the county has no cover?

JMT2016

Just to let you know Wexford was mentioned in an interview with the report's author Dr. Herity this morning by Cathal MacCoille on Radio 1.

Dr. Herity was asked to explain how the people of South Wexford who would be well over 2 hours from the treatment would be treated ? This was the only time Dr. Herity struggled throughout the interview and his answer was left wanting especially his need to point out that there were some other parts of the country in a similar situation.

Of course he didn't highlight that these areas were sparsely populated and not a regional hub of several hundred thousand people.

Overall the interview was disappointing. There was no mention of why 74% of the population of Kilkenny is left out of Dr. Herity's catchment area for example and this is one of the key reasons the South East is being deprived of vital emergency care here with further cutbacks actually recommended by the report.

You can listen to a podcast of the interview here under the rather misleading headline "Substantial expansion of cardiac services was recommended - Herity" - funny how the reduction in emergency care never even made the interview - nevermind the headline!

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/morning-ireland/

JMT2016

There's an important post on the politics cafe which reminds us of one of the main hazards of the "ship em all to cork" approach being foisted on people in the South East and why this report is significantly flawed

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057641960&page=8

Faugheen wrote: »

I'm with Halligan on this one. I'm not from Waterford nor am I an IA supporter by any means, but I'm in the catchment area for UHW.

Last winter, Dungarvan was like an island. Imagine someone in my family needed cardiac treatment out of hours at that time? The ambulance wouldn't have had a chance of getting through Dungarvan (the main road to Cork) and
Now imagine 10/20 other families were in the same boat around the same time? Imagine someone died on the transfer to CUH? Is that what it's going to take for people to realise UHW needs 24/7 cardiac services? If it prevents the above scenario then it serves it's purpose.

People who aren't from this area calling Halligan this, that and everything else need not to comment on something they know nothing about. This is a far bigger issue for people than just John Halligan and people living in Waterford. Three other counties need to be considered here too. He's just the first person trying to get something done about it.

He went into Government on the assumption this would happen. If FG go back on it, why should he stay around? He doesn't go into government if this isn't promised so why should he stick around if it's recommended to be reduced?

Of course Faugheen might think he/she is in the catchment area but according to Dr. Herity's opinion on catchment areas (s)he's probably in that other half of the region that has vanished for the purposes of the report.

Imagine going from Wexford General to Waterford to try to get to Cork all within the golden 1.5 hours for emergencies?!

And using the roads that were submerged in the floods in East Cork last winter - wow!

What coverage has there been in the local media here about this situation?

JMT2016

There's an amazing article in the Irish Examiner today about Jennifer's story - I'm going to post it in full because everyone needs to read this

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/id-be-less-a-child-if-she-had-cardiac-arrest-after-5pm-420317.html

Irish Examiner wrote:

‘I’d be less a child if she had cardiac arrest after 5pm’
If Willie Doyle’s daughter had been an hour later getting to Waterford hospital, he doubts if she would be alive today.

“My daughter [Jennifer Pheasey, 41] had a cardiac arrest at 4.30pm on a Friday. We were told that if it had happened an hour later she wouldn’t have survived. I’d be less a daughter, her children would be less a mother, and her husband would be less a wife,” he told the Irish Examiner.

“She had been moving things earlier in the day and thought it was just a muscle pain but she went to her GP. The GP sent her straight over to casualty in Waterford hospital.

“We got a call to say our daughter was dying and to come straight down. She was attended to straight away and had a stent fitted.”

This was two years ago now and, ever since, the family has campaigned as the ‘24/7 Cardiac Cover for the South East’ group.

At the moment, the cardiac unit of University Hospital Waterford (UHW) only operates on a 9am-5pm basis, Monday to Friday.

“If you have a cardiac arrest, it means the blood supply to your heart is interrupted. You need a stent fitted, and you have 90 minutes maximum in which to do that,” said Mr Doyle.

“So if you’re in Dublin, Cork, Galway, or Limerick and you have a cardiac arrest you can be treated 24/7, 365 days of the year.

“But if you’re in the south-east and UHW is your nearest hospital, you can only have a cardiac arrest Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, that’s when the unit is open.

“When it comes to 5 o’clock, you’ve to go down to Cork. They say you can get down in an ambulance but, to get from the hospital out onto the dual carriageway, the ambulance has to negotiate 14 roundabouts.

“They also say you could go by helicopter but that means having a helicopter on standby from 5 o’clock. And furthermore, there isn’t a helipad in UHW or in Cork.”

Mr Doyle also explained the lack of services is not just an issue for the entire south-east region.

“If you look at the south-east — that’s Wexford, Waterford, city and county, Kilkenny, and south Tipperary; that’s a population of half a million for UHW to cater for. That’s the region,” he said.

“It’s about saving lives in the south-east and it doesn’t matter if you save one life or 10 lives — every life counts.”

Every life counts. Indeed.

JMT2016

Lots of interesting coverage in the papers today about the South East Campaign for Emergency Healthcare.

Not least the headline in the Sunday Independent http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/i-will-rain-hell-on-this-government-35039206.html

From what I have read in the coverage I am again disappointed that there seems to be the assumption that the report cannot be questioned.

One expert, who made the catchment area a matter of opinion rather than fact and who was told "the service would be a waste of very limited resources", made some real analytical howlers to justify the unacceptable status quo.

Now we must all bow in unquestioning reverence? It's so bad that Mr. Harris won't even meet the consultants in Waterford who clearly must know what is going on above everyone else.

Either way, it is now clear that this issue is not going away. It has gone nuclear and will now dominate the media for the next week, at least until John Halligan appears on the Late Late Show next Friday (according to the Sunday Independent).

Do people really think that Halligan got elected championing a total non-issue?

JMT2016

Good post as well on the South East Cardiac Care Facebook Page

Why is it that once again the people of this region are brought to their knees and have to beg for a life saving service that the rest of the country has. Is it because some of the elected politicians in the SOUTH EAST are not vocal or strong enough to fight for this issue and deliver what we are entitled to. The Cardiac Unit at UHW is one of the 5 Centres Of Excellence in the country for cardiac intervention but only opens 9 to 5, Monday to Friday.

It is beyond comprehension for a report to suggest that critically ill cardiac patients should have to endure a road journey to Cork ( subject to ambulance availability ) or a helicoptor journey ( subject to availability as it is primarily for coastguard duties with no landing pad in either UHW or CUH) and all of this while your lifesaving minutes are ticking away.

Dunmoreroader

Just read the full report; http://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Dr.-Herity-Clinical-Review.pdf

According to Dr. Herity, south Wexford from New Ross to Wexford town and below is as vulnerable as Waterford city/Tramore i.e. outside the current safe distance from a 24/7 centre.
So has any Wexford T.D, Senator, Councilor (ANYONE?) spoken out in support of extending cath lab services at UHW?

Marhay70

JMT2016 wrote: »

Good post as well on the South East Cardiac Care Facebook Page

Why is it that once again the people of this region are brought to their knees and have to beg for a life saving service that the rest of the country has. Is it because some of the elected politicians in the SOUTH EAST are not vocal or strong enough to fight for this issue and deliver what we are entitled to. The Cardiac Unit at UHW is one of the 5 Centres Of Excellence in the country for cardiac intervention but only opens 9 to 5, Monday to Friday.

It is beyond comprehension for a report to suggest that critically ill cardiac patients should have to endure a road journey to Cork ( subject to ambulance availability ) or a helicoptor journey ( subject to availability as it is primarily for coastguard duties with no landing pad in either UHW or CUH) and all of this while your lifesaving minutes are ticking away.

Nothing to do with politicians not being vocal enough, more to do with four of the five TDs being establishment lackeys. Howlin was re-elected on the strength of his support for Wexford Hospital, coat tailing on the goodwill of the popular public movement, this despite he, Kehoe and Twomey being, for five years, part of an administration that has brought the public health system to its knees and Browne Snr being part of a government whose crimes against the general population are legendary. It's the people themselves who are not active enough and not selective enough in their choice of public representatives. GE 2016 has shown we are doomed to repeat history.

road_high

Marhay70 wrote: »

Nothing to do with politicians not being vocal enough, more to do with four of the five TDs being establishment lackeys. Howlin was re-elected on the strength of his support for Wexford Hospital, coat tailing on the goodwill of the popular public movement, this despite he, Kehoe and Twomey being, for five years, part of an administration that has brought the public health system to its knees and Browne Snr being part of a government whose crimes against the general population are legendary. It's the people themselves who are not active enough and not selective enough in their choice of public representatives. GE 2016 has shown we are doomed to repeat history.

No it's more that most of the voters in Wexford are realists and not looking for free existences like the majority of Halligan supporters. One pointless loon on the form of Mick Wallace is more than enough, most people with more than one brain cell realise and acccept this.

Marhay70

road_high wrote: »

No it's more that most of the voters in Wexford are realists and not looking for free existences like the majority of Halligan supporters. One pointless loon on the form of Mick Wallace is more than enough, most people with more than one brain cell realise and acccept this.

Forgive me, I'd forgotten that Halligan and Wallace were responsible for the mismanagement of the economy and the scandal and corruption that has been endemic in Irish politics for the past fifty years. Must make better use of my brain cell, thank you sir.

allthedoyles

Both of your brain cells are in working order , but are hummimg to different tunes .

JMT2016

Eamon Dunphy was excellent on the Late Late Show this evening.

He highlighted that
1. Outside of business hours, the care being offered to heart attack patients is totally inadequate - helicopters to cork were mentioned!
2. This is a south-east regional issue not a waterford one
3. This affects hundreds of thousands of people
4. John Halligan is sincere in his efforts to highlight this disgrace

10 days on and this is still hitting the headlines.

Now that a public protest has been called for next Saturday 24th 2-4pm, The Glen, Waterford - it really shows that this issue is not going to go away.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1396305280398987/

South East Patients Advocacy Group appeal to the people of the South East to come out and voice your protest at the ongoing erosion of services including cardiology services at Waterford University Hosptial.

This protest is non political and there will be no political speeches - this is purely a protest by the people whose lives are being affected by the ongoing cuts to services available to them in University Hospital Waterford

The politicians had their say... the consultants had their say... now it's our turn... let's show them that we are not going to lie down and accept this despicable situation any longer

road_high

Marhay70 wrote: »

Forgive me, I'd forgotten that Halligan and Wallace were responsible for the mismanagement of the economy and the scandal and corruption that has been endemic in Irish politics for the past fifty years. Must make better use of my brain cell, thank you sir.

Yawn...hope ya had a good aul day at the scrounger
Parade Saturday...shame they didn't hold it a week day, might have had more of you turn up...but not in dole day, obviously 😉

Marhay70

road_high wrote: »

Yawn...hope ya had a good aul day at the scrounger
Parade Saturday...shame they didn't hold it a week day, might have had more of you turn up...but not in dole day, obviously 😉

Sorry to disappoint you but no. As a further source of disappointment, I retired a few years ago after forty nine years unbroken employment, I also own my home outright and have no outstanding debts.
Apologies once again if I don't fit into your stereotype but I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I am the possessor of a Free Travel Pass. Now, if only there was public transport where I live, I'd be free to travel to all the protests, the better to fit into your demographic. The first of which would be for the retention of 24/7 cardiac care at Waterford Regional

JMT2016

Oh look where the HSE is spending the South East Cardiac Care Money

The 1.8 MILLION Helipad mightn't be as priority if South East Cardiac Care patients didn't need to travel half away across the country to get basic healthcare outside of 9-5.

P.s. Can anyone send me on a link to the independent report justifying a 1.8 million conversion of car park spaces to a helipad?
Or are independent reports only needed if the South East needs basic emergency care?

http://www.eveningecho.ie/cork-news/helicopter-landing-site-cuh-needed/2533388/

Evening Echo wrote:

HELICOPTER LANDING SITE FOR CUH NEEDED

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016
AN on-site helipad for Cork University Hospital is edging closer to reality, with confirmation that the HSE hopes to lodge a planning application shortly.

The issue of the ongoing wait for the helipad, which is projected to cost €1.8m, was raised at yesterday’s HSE Regional Health Forum South meeting in County Hall.

Cllr John Buttimer called on the health service to publish a full report on the development of a helicopter landing site at CUH, noting the timeliness of the motion given the airlifiting of three young children from West Cork to the hospital on Tuesday night after they sustained burn injuries in an explosion in their home.

The helicopter landed in Bishopstown, as is common procedure, where an ambulance was waiting to transfer the patients to hospital.

“Recent events in Cork this week and other separate incidents have highlighted the need for a helicopter landing pad at CUH. It is one of the largest university teaching hospitals and one of the largest trauma 1 centres in the country.”

Addressing Cllr Buttimer’s question, Gerry O’Dwyer, chief executive of the South/South Western Hospital Group, confirmed that the HSE is in advanced talks with the Irish Aviation Authority with a view to lodge planning permission shortly.

“The position at the moment is we’re in very delicate negotiations with the Aviation Authority because the type of helicopter that is required to land there is the coastguard helicopter which is based in either Shannon or Waterford along with the Air Corps helicopter which is based presently in Athlone.”

“The position is when we finish the final negotiations with the aviation authority, which are about to conclude shortly, we will then lodge planning permission.”

Mr O’Dwyer stated that the HSE’s priority is to ensure that patients can go straight to the hospital rather than have to go to any other location.

“We have a temporary location in Bishopstown at the moment and occasionally we use Cork Airport,” he added.

“We’re looking closely at the number of car parking spaces that we will have to remove and what locations we can put those in. Our priority is to get the helicopter landing pad in, even if necessary we have to lose spaces.”

JMT2016

The Waterford News and Star this week had the reaction of regional TDs to the campaign for healthcare equality

Here are some quotes

John Paul Phelan FG (Carlow-Kilkenny) "I believe that 24/7 care for cardiac patients in the south east is essential and it should be fought for tooth and nail".

Bobby Alyward FF (Carlow-Kilkenny) "I'm not happy with the Herity Report... I hear a lot about how important this issue is from constituents, particularly in South Kilkenny"

John McGuinness FF (Carlow-Kilkenny) "Simon Harris needs to ask those who know best i.e. the consultants on the ground/at the coal face"

James Browne FF (Wexford) "At the end of the day we want as many lives to be saved as possible"

Paul Kehoe FG (Wexford) "I would like to the see productivity at the existing hospital maximised and upped and then we could review that in a year and then, prehaps, question the findings of the report."

Brendan Howlin Lab (Wexford) "I favour the best possible cardiac services in the South-East and this must include 24-hour cardiac diagnostic and surgical capabity in UHW. I believe that will require a second cath lab to be provided and that the Minister for Health, Simon Harris should act accordingly".

The call for equal access to emergency healthcare isn't going away - the next protest is already being planned at the South East Patient Advocacy Group (SEPAG) Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/609909642491552/?fref=ts

Marhay70

JMT2016 wrote: »

The Waterford News and Star this week had the reaction of regional TDs to the campaign for healthcare equality

Here are some quotes

John Paul Phelan FG (Carlow-Kilkenny) "I believe that 24/7 care for cardiac patients in the south east is essential and it should be fought for tooth and nail".

Bobby Alyward FF (Carlow-Kilkenny) "I'm not happy with the Herity Report... I hear a lot about how important this issue is from constituents, particularly in South Kilkenny"

John McGuinness FF (Carlow-Kilkenny) "Simon Harris needs to ask those who know best i.e. the consultants on the ground/at the coal face"

James Browne FF (Wexford) "At the end of the day we want as many lives to be saved as possible"

Paul Kehoe FG (Wexford) "I would like to the see productivity at the existing hospital maximised and upped and then we could review that in a year and then, prehaps, question the findings of the report."

Brendan Howlin Lab (Wexford) "I favour the best possible cardiac services in the South-East and this must include 24-hour cardiac diagnostic and surgical capabity in UHW. I believe that will require a second cath lab to be provided and that the Minister for Health, Simon Harris should act accordingly".

The call for equal access to emergency healthcare isn't going away - the next protest is already being planned at the South East Patient Advocacy Group (SEPAG) Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/609909642491552/?fref=ts

Bandwagon jumpers, all of these politicians are members of parties which have been part of Government over the years when the health service has been allowed to crumble. Full of ideas now.
A second general election in 2016 is a distinct possibility and these guys are just preparing the ground. Actions speak louder than words and these parties, by their previous actions, or inactions as the case may be, have shown they care little about the terminal decline of healthcare in Ireland.

JMT2016

The south east cardiac care campaign featured again in Dr Gueret's Sunday Independent column:

An entertaining and controversial piece - but does it get to the crux of the matter?

"I am in trouble on my next trip to Waterford for daring to suggest that its politicians are not up to the mark, and that the county needs improved fertility services to rise its population. My flippant remarks followed the recent Herity report that advised against a second heart laboratory to keep local arteries open through the night. My letters tray brims with indignation. One city dweller wrote to tell me that I was being unduly harsh. "Mossy boy," he wrote, "were we to go chasing fertility services, as you helpfully suggest, we would, in all likelihood, by told to go **** ourselves."

There is a palpable sense of local injustice since the Independent Alliance were led up the garden path. The real story here lies deep in rivalry between Waterford University Hospital and neighbouring St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny. Kilkenny sends many heart patients to St. James's in Dublin rather than Waterford, and this lies at the crux of the issue about whether Waterford rightfully has a regional population of half a million people, or a lot less.

Kilkenny is only a county hospital. Waterford is supposed to be the regional one, but local Fine Gael politics mitigates against it. Within days of the decision against them, Health Minister Simon Harris was down in neighbouring Kilkenny singing the praises of its local hospital. He was in the company of the party's TD for Carlow/Kilkenny, a man born and educated in Waterford.

This row has the potential to be a heartbreaker, and will run and run. Until it's decided how safe it is to keep critically ill patients waiting until morning, or rushing around backroads in the back of ambulances."

JMT2016

Good to see even more coverage of the South East cardiac care campaign, this time in the Waterford News & Star.

First time I have seen comments from Dr. Michael Conway, consultant cardiologist at St. Luke's Kilkenny and this week there is an interview with him. If only he and consultants from Clonmel and Wexford had been asked for their input into the Herity report. It mightn't have resulted in 74% of Kilkenny and 94% of Carlow being omitted from the population of the South East!

Anyway the article says

"Dr. Conway said that he was personally "very keen" to support UHW but that "unfortunately things have arisen and Kilkenny and Waterford are not more in tow as a result of the Higgins Report".

"Overall, the design of the Higgins Report makes things impractical between St. Luke's and UHW. We would love to have more services available locally but it's quite complex. As as result of the hospital groupings, Cork are in the picture with Waterford and we don't have anything to do with Cork. I personally cannot do much. The interaction should be better and I'm sure it will be better in time. I would be able to work in terms of Kilkenny sending patients to Waterford but it's not for me to judge. The answers are not easy."

Every Wednesday University Hospital Waterford's Cath Lab is set aside for referrals from St. Luke's. However, instead of travelling to Waterford to carry out procedures like angiograms and putting in stents, Dr. Conway travels to St. James's, a referral practice that pre-dates UHW's Cath Lab. Consultants cardiologists in Wexford and South Tipperary both take up their weekly option in University Hospital Waterford.

Dr Conway reiterated that he would be interested in keeping services more local and aid he will discuss the possibility of doing more screening in Waterford and using UHW's services to start to do angiograms in the Cath Lab.

It is great to hear from the people actually involved "on the ground" - I think it goes a long way to explaining what is happening and how outcomes for south east heart attack patients can be improved.

JMT2016

Just an update - this number includes people from Wexford also.

Why would people from Wexford be referred to Cork? It makes no sense.

http://www.wlrfm.com/news/local/88075-60-cardiac-patients-from-uhw-being-referred-to-cork.html

60 cardiac patients from UHW being referred to Cork

Up to 60 patients who are waiting for non emergency cardiac procedures are to be referred to Cork because University Hospital Waterford does not have the capacity to treat them.

Waterford Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane has slammed the government for its continued refusal to address capacity issues at University Hospital Waterford.

He says "Dozens of cardiology patients are being transferred to Cork because University Hospital Waterford continues to suffer from significant capacity constraints."

sjb25

JMT2016 wrote: »

Why would people from Wexford be referred to Cork? It makes no sense.
l[/url]

You answered your own question in fairness

Quote:

60 cardiac patients from UHW being referred to Cork

Up to 60 patients who are waiting for non emergency cardiac procedures are to be referred to Cork because University Hospital Waterford does not have the capacity to treat them.

JMT2016

South East Heart Attack Care protest this Saturday at 2pm, The Forum The Glen, Waterford.

One recent story was featured by the Mirror - 3 patients, two from Kilkenny and Wexford.

Pensioner's heart surgery stopped halfway through when emergency patient arrived at Waterford hospital

Tom O’Dwyer - from Slieverue, Co Kilkenny- had one stent inserted when he was taken out of theatre to allow a critically-ill patient to receive life-saving cardiac treatment.

Mr O’Dwyer said he understood the doctor was working “under very difficult circumstances” and was glad the other patient was treated – or else they may not have survived.

He added: “If I were in the doctor’s position I don’t know how I would have felt having to stop in the middle of working on one patient and deal with an emergency.

“It’s an impossible position to put someone in. Their work shouldn’t be interrupted.

“While I was waiting in that cubicle for them to finish off my procedure there was a man beside me who had been sent there in an ambulance from Wexford and at about 5.30pm they had to send him home without having anything done.

That wexford man did not get the healthcare he needed :mad:

We need 24/7 care like the rest of the country now!