A Donegal County Councillor has accused the HSE of “putting up a smokescreen” over the failure to appoint a second breast surgeon for Letterkenny University Hospital.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle raised the issue at yesterday’s meeting of the Health Forum West in Galway.
A second full-time breast surgeon for the hospital was announced last year but there has still been no firm announcement on the appointment.
There is currently one full-time surgeon and a locum working in the region.
Cllr McMonagle was told that the HSE was still seeking further information and statistics before the official appointment of the new full-time surgeon.
However, the Sinn Fein councillor accused the HSE of hiding behind a smokescreen on the issue.
He added that once again it appeared that Donegal was being left out because of its geographical location which he said he simply did not accept.
“How many times have we been told that the HSE are finding it difficult to find a suitable candidate because of attracting the right people to the region.
“I simply don’t accept that. Donegal has so much to offer and people living here have an excellent quality of life.
“In Letterkenny where such professionals would be based we have services which are as good as anyone you will find,” he said.
He added that as far as he knew al the stats and information had been provided to the HSE a long time ago with regard to advertising and appointing a news breast surgeon.
He said the reality was now that Donegal is fast becoming one of the worst places in Ireland to become sick.
“Th reality is that if you live in Donegal and you become ill then you have to travel for treatment be that to Galway or Dublin. It is not good enough.
“People are spending days traveling for tests and spending money they simply don’t have on travel and staying overnight in hotels for a test or procedure that lasts a few minutes.
“The treatment of the people of Donegal is getting worse and worse and it has to stop,” he said.
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