South East Heart Attack Care

JMT2016

Just thought you would like to know what Carlow/Kilkenny TDs have to say
about the South East campaign for healthcare equality for Heart Attack Care.

This is especially relevant to the people of South Carlow.

Here are some quotes from the Waterford News and Star this week.

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

sunny2004

Didn't even know this was an issue.

JMT2016

sunny2004 wrote: »

Didn't even know this was an issue.

Thank heavens for boards!

It's an issue that's being swept under the carpet - normally we just go along with the downgrades to our region but people's lives are at stake here.

foggy_lad

JMT2016 wrote: »

Thank heavens for boards!

It's an issue that's being swept under the carpet - normally we just go along with the downgrades to our region but people's lives are at stake here.

Ah but it's not all about heart attacks! when people call for an ambulance in Carlow for any reason - if it is after office hours don't expect much of a response in Carlow anyway! only one Ambulance will be on call here and if the Kilkenny Ambulance goes on a call the Carlow Ambulance goes to Kilkenny to cover and might end up going out on a call and heading to Waterford, People in Carlow can often have to wait for the Kilkenny ambulance or even an ambulance from Waterford to arrive!

All this will be despite having at least 4 vehicles parked up in Carlow ready to roll if the "on-call" crews are called in! but the HSE won't do this because they will have to pay the crew the more expensive after-hours/weekend rates!

JMT2016

foggy_lad wrote: »

Ah but it's not all about heart attacks! when people call for an ambulance in Carlow for any reason - if it is after office hours don't expect much of a response in Carlow anyway! only one Ambulance will be on call here and if the Kilkenny Ambulance goes on a call the Carlow Ambulance goes to Kilkenny to cover and might end up going out on a call and heading to Waterford, People in Carlow can often have to wait for the Kilkenny ambulance or even an ambulance from Waterford to arrive!

All this will be despite having at least 4 vehicles parked up in Carlow ready to roll if the "on-call" crews are called in! but the HSE won't do this because they will have to pay the crew the more expensive after-hours/weekend rates!

That's shocking altogether. And if the rumoured A&E downgrade to St. Lukes goes ahead for trauma care (see here) that will affect Carlow and the whole of the south-east even more

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!