Pat the Cope Gallagher Leas Cheann Comhairle has urged the HSE and the Minister for Health to prioritise the appointment of permanent second Breast Surgeon for Letterkenny University Hospital.
His comments come following a reply to a Dáil question to the Minister for Health.
Pat the Cope quoting directly from the Minister’s reply.
Minister Simon Harris said “A second breast surgeon has not been appointed on a permanent basis at Letterkenny University Hospital. At present, efforts are being made to recruit a full-time locum consultant surgeon to deal with current demands on the service. Consideration continues to be given to longer-term measures to meet the future requirements of the service and staffing at consultant and other levels will be among the issues to be considered”.
Pat THe Cope said this is extremely disappointing that after many public commitments from the Government and their representatives, that no permanent appointment has been made and this is totally unacceptable by any standards – as the service is under huge pressure from service demands, there is a failure on the part of the Government to act and prioritise the service need for a second Breast Surgeon at Letterkenny University Hospital.
The Donegal Deputy said he wished to compliment the cancer action groups and the support groups who continue their campaign for increased and better services at Letterkenny as they have for many years.
But he added that what is required is for the Government and the HSE to make the appointment without further delay, to properly resource the service within Letterkenny and provide the necessary staff in order to deliver a top class, properly staffed and resourced service equal to any other service available elsewhere within the state.
“All we have seen thus far is fake news by way of empty commitments, imminent appointments which never realised and further delays while meantime the service continues to operate under considerable pressure. We demand immediate action on the part of the HSE and the Minister for Health and make the necessary appointments for Letterkenny University Hospital,” concluded teh Fianna Fail Deputy.