The HSE has issued an update in relation to medical services across Donegal following the cyber attack.
As the public may be aware, the HSE and the wider health system has been targeted by a criminal ransomware attack.
IT systems across health service have been temporarily shut down for security reasons, and the HSE is working with the National Cyber Security Centre, and with national and international experts including McAfee, to rectify this issue.
The HSE’s priority remains the safety and essential maintenance care of our patients and support services.
While work is being carried out on the restoration of their IT services, some services have been affected.
All psychology online group sessions in Donegal are cancelled.
Appointments for new clients at the G.U.M Clinic in Sligo are cancelled. Sexual Health review appointments continue as normal in Sligo Leitrim. However, appointments for new clients are cancelled as there is no lab service available.
In Letterkenny, some appointments will be rescheduled in the event that the lab cannot process results. However, no appointments have been cancelled to date.
Attend Anywhere virtual health care appointments have been impacted and are suspended.
All Donegal Community Diagnostics ie. X-ray are cancelled until further notice.
If your child has an audiology appointment or you have an adult appointment please phone Donegal on 074 91 89562 or Sligo on 071 91 62647 to check if your appointment is proceeding. The same applies in Cavan and Monaghan.
Hearing aid repairs and Earmould appointments are available. Please ring your local clinic numbers listed above.
While most ophthalmic appointments in Sligo and Donegal are proceeding as normal, if you have an ophthalmic appointments in Sligo University Hospital should phone the number on the appointment letter before attending.
Vaccinations are proceeding as normal across CHO Area 1( Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo). We wish to remind people to attend for their vaccination appointments.
The latest group that can register to get a COVID-19 vaccine are people aged 45 to 49. Anyone over this age who has not already registered may still do so.
You can register for a COVID-19 vaccine online via HSE website or by phone, which is open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday on LoCall: 1850 24 1850 or 01 240 87870
Any updates to community services are available by county at the following link Community health service updates – HSE.ie
Testing continues throughout the CHO Area 1 (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo).
Due to the cyber attack on the HSE’s IT system, it is not possible at the moment to be referred for COVID-19 testing by your GP.
If you have symptoms or do not have symptoms, you can attend your testing centre without an appointment.
The close contact system is up and running and close contacts will be contacted by text with information on their appointment and are asked to follow the instructions in the text.
Full details of testing centres are available at hse.ie
Test centres are operating in the following venues across CHO 1 area at these times;
Testing at Castlesaunderson, Belturbet, Co. Cavan is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm.
Monaghan at the Cloghan GAA centre is open Monday to Sunday from 10.30am to 5:30pm.
Donegal at St Conal’s Healthcare Campus Letterkenny is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. The Cleary Centre, Donegal Town is open Wednesday 9.30am to 4pm, and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9.30am to 5pm. The centre is closed Saturday and Sundays.
Leitrim at the North West Business and Tech Park Carrick on Shannon is open Monday to Friday from 2pm to 4.30pm and is closed Saturday and Sunday.
Sligo at Finisklin centre is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 4pm.
THE CHO 1 Safeguarding and Protection Team are available for consultation, advice and support regarding any safeguarding concerns on Tel: 071 9834660. For further information on safeguarding click on the link to the Safeguarding Ireland website: Safeguarding Ireland | Promoting the rights of vulnerable adults
HSE CHO1 would like to advise the public to continue to follow all the advice and guidance on HSE.ie