South Tipp Heart Attack Care

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 in the South East is totally inadequate - helicopters to cork were mentioned!

2. This is a south-east regional issue not a waterford one - all heart attack transfers from South Tipp General Hospital to waterford are impacted

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

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.

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.”

Vizzy

What makes you think that this is the "South East Cardiac money" ?

Cork is not in the South East.

Do you not agree that Cork needs a proper helipad to cater for casualties from a boat in the Atlantic or an emergency in West Cork or Kerry ?

JMT2016

Vizzy wrote: »

What makes you think that this is the "South East Cardiac money" ?

The helipad costs almost 2million, the same amount it costs to construct a cath lab - see http://www.imt.ie/news/latest-news/2015/01/six-consultants-needed-247-south-east-service.html

Vizzy wrote: »

Cork is not in the South East.

But Cork and half of the south east are in the same health board.

Vizzy wrote: »

Do you not agree that Cork needs a proper helipad to cater for casualties from a boat in the Atlantic or an emergency in West Cork or Kerry ?

Obviously Cork needs a proper helipad and the south east needs proper heart attack care.

I have no problem with a helipad, and it's especially relevant since it beats the current situation where south east heart attack patients have to negotiate a road with multiple traffic jams like in castlemartry and floods .

But where is the "independent" report justifying the helipad?

Where is the scrutiny that ensures that there is sufficient demand for it?

Why is there no expert review as to why tarmac and three painted lines cost 1.8 million?

Vizzy

JMT2016 wrote: »

I have no problem with a helipad, and it's especially relevant since it beats the current situation where south east heart attack patients have to negotiate a road with multiple traffic jams like in castlemartry and floods .

But where is the "independent" report justifying the helipad?

Why is there no expert review as to why tarmac and three painted lines cost 1.8 million?

Where is the independent report justifying a second cath lab ?

Oh wait.....

JMT2016

Vizzy wrote: »

Where is the independent report justifying a second cath lab ?

Oh wait.....

Oh yes we are all awaiting an independent report

one that doesn't involve the HSE briefing against the proposal in advance

Vizzy

Maybe Dr Owens and John Halligan should do a report.

Would that be independent enough for you ?

JMT2016

Vizzy wrote: »

Maybe Dr Owens and John Halligan should do a report.

Would that be independent enough for you ?

It would be as laughably independent as the HSE one.

This same report that contradicts the HSE's own website (which says the UHW caters for 500,000 people of the South East for Cardiology) by halving the catchment figure to justify the HSE's prior conclusion that 24/7 Heart Attack Care for the South East is a waste of money?

Can you imagine what they would say if John Halligan was looking for a 1.8m helipad to be built at UHW?!

JMT2016

I just don't understand how it can cost so MUCH to convert car parking spaces to a helipad and how this decision can have so LITTLE scrutiny, when the same amount of money for 24/7 cardiac care for a whole region can't be found?

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

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 could have been an ambulance from Clonmel too you know!