Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has been informed by the HSE that a locum Consultant Cardiologist will be commencing in post imminently in Cavan General Hospital.
GPs in both counties were previously instructed to stop referring cardiology patients to the hospital, with no alternative option in place.
Despite this, the HSE also confirmed to Deputy Brendan Smith that active recruitment is currently underway for permanent substantive post. The HSE in their response to Deputy Smith stated that emergency cardiology patients continue to be managed within the ED/MAU, with referrals to tertiary sites as required.
Patients can also be referred to General Medicine OPD where general cardiology will be triaged and reviewed as appropriate. Speaking to Northern Sound, Deputy Smith welcomed this response and hopes that the permanent position can be filled without undue delay.