Ensuring the prioritisation of cardiovascular care needs at national and regional level in Ireland was the focus of the Irish Heart Foundation’s most recent Oireachtas Heart and Stroke group meeting held in Leinster House, on July 14th.
A wonderful speaker line up, including Prof. Caroline Daly, Consultant Cardiologist, St. James’s Hospital, Dr. Tim Cassidy, Chairperson of Irish National Audit of Stroke Governance, Arthur Little, Stroke Survivor, Cork, Julie Garvey, Irish Heart Foundation, Patient Supports co-lead, were supported by many Patient Champions from all over Ireland, some of whom attended Leinster House on the day. TDs, Senators and Department of Health officials got to hear firsthand of the crucial need to keep cardiovascular care for heart and stroke patients front and central in healthcare provision and resource allocation in the coming months and years both nationally and regionally.
With the support of the National Heart Office & the National Stroke Programme, the Irish Heart Foundation produced a detailed document outlining the acute, community, patient, and organisation support needs, which was unveiled at the event. The document provides a comprehensive showcase of cardiovascular patient care needs in Ireland, from point of diagnosis, right through to living long term in the community post diagnosis, which it is hoped will act as a very useful guide for national and regional healthcare decision makers, and politicians, dealing with responsibility for resource allocations to cardiovascular healthcare, in ensuring existing and growing levels of support.
Speaking about the document, Interim Director of Advocacy at the Irish Heart Foundation, Mark Murphy, said, “The Irish Heart Foundation has worked with the National Heart Office, the National Stroke Programme, individual clinicians, and cardiovascular patients to provide a comprehensive guide to the crucial care needs of heart and stroke patients in Ireland in 2026, which we hope will be advantageous to national and regional healthcare decision makers, and those with responsibility for resource provision, going forward.
“Presenting this comprehensive document to the TDs and Senators in our Irish Heart Foundation Oireachtas Heart and Stroke group is the next step to securing political and financial support for cardiovascular patient care needs in Ireland both at national and regional level.
“Cardiovascular care prioritization from government level right through to local regional level is vital if we are to ensure that Ireland’s estimated 600,000 heart and stroke patients are to receive the healthcare they need and deserve.
The Irish Heart Foundation will continue to do all it can to support heart and stroke patient health and wellbeing needs both now and into the future”
For more on the Irish Heart Foundation’s Advocacy work for heart and stroke patients, please see Advocacy News or contact advocacy@irishheart.ie
Ensuring the prioritization of cardiovascular care needs at national and regional level in Ireland was the focus of the Irish Heart Foundation’s most recent Oireachtas Heart and Stroke group meeting held in Leinster House, on July 14th.
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