Waterford Hospital review concludes that no extra lab is needed

A review of whether a second cath lab is required at University Hospital Waterford (UHG) has controversially concluded that there is no need and that it should cease its emergency workload.

Niall Herity, who conducted the independent clinical review, said because the existing lab does not meet the accepted standard of carrying out “an absolute minimum” of 100 primary percutaneous coronary interventions (angioplasties) per year, the hospital should cease this service.

He said instead patients should be sent from the region who suffer heart attacks to Cork University Hospital or St James’s Hospital Dublin.