HEART attack patients will, from this week, be able to receive 24/7 treatment in Limerick instead of being sent to hospitals in Cork or Galway after 6pm on weekdays and on weekends.
Following an inspection last week, the team and facilities that will provide the vital cardiac care at the Mid-West Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle have been given the thumbs up to start work on a round-the-clock basis.
The care team and the facilities to provide treatment for a particular type of cardiac incident have been in place for some time, but the hospital authorities were awaiting the inspection that would allow the full-time service to start.
Until that happened, patients who presented with a specific type of attack could not be dealt with at the regional hospital. The HSE has emphasised that patients who suffered from conventional cardiac arrest were treated in Limerick at all times.
It is understood that the only remaining work to be done to clear the way for a full service is to organise rosters and they are due to be in place this week.
The HSE confirmed to Limerick Post this week that, following recent meetings with Professor Kieran Daly, the national clinical lead of the Acute Services Programme, it has been agreed that the Mid-Western Regional Hospital can assume a 24/7 role.
Limerick TD, Kieran O’Donnell, who had made representations to Health Minister James Reilly on the matter in recent weeks, said: “I have worked extremely hard to achieve this outcome since it emerged that a new protocol led to patients with STEMI-type heart attacks being directed to Galway University Hospital.
“This is about Limerick people and people in the wider Mid West region having parity within the system, and we deserve nothing less. The situation where people could not be treated in Limerick should never have come about,” he said.
“I congratulate the management and clinical staff in Limerick Regional Hospital, and all involved. This is a very good news story for Limerick and the Mid West,” he added.
