24-hour cardiac care cover in the South-East of Ireland

21.6.2017

Question for written answer E-004131-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Liadh Ní Riada (GUE/NGL)

The most recent statistics for Ireland show that the South-East Region currently has a population of 582 440. Cardiac care cover currently operates at University Hospital Waterford, which serves the majority of this population on a 9.00-17.00 Monday-Friday basis. Outside of these hours, should a person encounter cardiac complications, most notably cardiac arrest, they are transferred to the nearest treatment centre, which is Cork University Hospital. The critical time frame recommended for invasive treatment after suffering cardiac arrest is 90 minutes. The transfer time between many locations in the South-East and Cork exceeds this. On Sunday 18 June 2017, a 38-year-old gentleman from Co. Waterford died in transit from Waterford to Cork after suffering cardiac arrest.

Under Article 35 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, ‘Everyone has the right of access to preventive healthcare and the right to benefit from medical treatment under the conditions established by national laws and practices. A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all the Union’s policies and activities’.

Does the Commission consider that the people of the South-East of Ireland have access to preventative healthcare based on what has been outlined above, and do they have parity of esteem in terms of cardiac care that is available in other parts of Ireland?