No cardiac unit has enough staff, study reveals

Not one cardiac unit in the country has enough staff to provide an aftercare service to those recovering from heart attacks that is credited with cutting death rates by up to 25%.

According to a study by the Irish Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation and the Irish Heart Foundation, the problem is forcing thousands of people onto six month-long waiting lists for post-attack aftercare.

Detailing the situation before Budget 2014 is published later today, the independent groups said none of the country’s 37 hospitals providing cardiac care have enough qualified staff to support patients recovering from heart attacks.