Diabetes care for patients in Donegal has been slammed as ‘not good enough’.
Letterkenny-based Councillor Gerry McMonagle brought the matter to the fore again at this month’s Regional Health Forum West meeting.
It was confirmed that one consultant endocrinologist travels from Galway to Letterkenny just one day a month and this is by agreement rather than a contractual obligation.
A further appointment is expected to be soon made, but will have only the same arrangement with Letterkenny, albeit on a contractual basis.
The Sinn Féin representative asked if some of the 12 endocrinologists who are working out of Galway University Hospital could be temporarily relocated to Letterkenny.
“I don’t doubt that you are trying everything, but this has been going on for quite a while,” Councillor McMonagle said.
“Another endocrinologist for one day a month, whether it is on a contractual basis or not is not adequate and it certainly is not good enough.
“It is not good enough and it is not fair to patients in Donegal.”
Ann Cosgrove, the Chief Operating Officer of the Saolta University Health Care Group, said they are “trying to actually get permanent appointments into Letterkenny.”
“It is very much to the fore from the hospital’s perspective and from the clinical director’s perspective,” Ms Cosgrove said.
Councillor McMonagle said: “There is one consultant who comes from Galway to Letterkenny one day a month. Well, there are a lot of patients who leave Donegal and go to Galway, the same journey, accessing healthcare services and have the same journey times.
“Is it not time that we got an endocrinologist in Letterkenny University Hospital? We have over 500 people with type 1 diabetes who need care.”
Earlier this month, it was confirmed that of the 533 adults attending Letterkenny University Hospital for diabetic care, 387 are awaiting a review appointment.
Of those, some 236 are waiting for less than six months with almost 40 per cent waiting much long – 112 people are waiting for up to two years and 39 have an even longer wait time.
Clinical guidelines recommend that adults with type 1 diabetes review appointments be held bi-annually.
Ms Cosgrove said that there are currently 6.2 full-time equivalent consultant endocrinologists in Galway with HSE appointments.
She said: “Five of these consultant endocrinologists have joint appointments between the hospital and university and all of these have teaching and research responsibilities in Galway.
“One consultant attends Letterkenny from Galway 1 day per month leaving Galway at 6 am and returning at 10pm. This is by agreement with the consultant and there is no contractual obligation to do so.
“GUH will interview on the 13th May 2024 for another academic consultant endocrinologist who will have the same commitment to diabetes care in LUH but this will be a contractual obligation.”
