John Halligan ‘must examine conscience’ in lab row

Patient advocacy campaigners in the South-East have said junior minister John Halligan must examine his conscience about whether a mobile special cardiac treatment lab for Waterford is enough to prevent his resignation.

Mr Halligan has threatened to quit government unless cardiac services improve at his local hospital. A mobile lab, he believes, will force health chiefs to eventually fund a second full-time lab there.

But the South East Patient Advocacy Group describe the compromise as a “fudge” and warn that thousands will take to Waterford streets next week in protest at the lack of cardiac services.

Group founder Hillary O’Neill said a mobile lab would be “unacceptable” and patients wanted 24-hour cardiac care, seven days a week. “I’m disgusted he [the minister] would accept that on our behalf. It will alleviate waiting lists, but what we want is a 24-hour service.”

Ms O’Neill described how a man who lived just minutes from Waterford Hospital had died in an ambulance while being transferred to Cork.

Patients in the South-East who have a heart attack are brought to Waterford Hospital for treatment but after 5pm or on weekends are taken to Cork or elsewhere.

“With heart conditions, you have 90 minutes for intervention or the muscle gets damaged,” said Ms O’Neill. “The longer the delay, the more damage. This is a life or death issue.”

Mr Halligan, speaking to this paper this week, described how health chiefs are finalising a plan to set up a mobile lab in addition to the day cardiac lab already in Waterford. Health Minister Simon Harris has to approve this. However, the suggestion of a mobile lab angered advocacy groups, who say up to 500,000 people from surrounding counties rely on services at Waterford.

“He [the minister] said he entered government for 24 hour care,” said Ms O’Neill.

“It has not been delivered. He needs to decide who he represents. They [the Government] broke their promise and he broke his. This is a fudge. It is up to him, he knows that people have been affected and people have died. He’s threatened to resign. It is up to John to deal with his own conscience and his loyalty to the people who voted for him or loyalty to the Government.”

Responding yesterday, Mr Halligan said consultants in Waterford had made the recommendation for the mobile cath lab to Mr Harris.

“They [consultants] have no doubt within six months, the HSE will realise the need for a proper permanent second lab,” said Mr Halligan.

“Whatever step forward we get, we have to take. This will reduce waiting lists. The counter proposal was to take hundreds and send them elsewhere. I’ll still fight for the second lab. And I’ll have to decide whether I can or can’t stay in Government.”