Diabetes services at Letterkenny University Hospital are not fit for purpose despite recent recruitment efforts, a Donegal County Councillor has warned.
Sinn Féin councillor Gerry McMonagle, a member of the Regional Health Forum West, said the lack of staff is a “nightmare for those who are suffering from type 1 diabetes, in particular.”
“Despite the good efforts the hospital has been making to recruit the necessary staff and consultants, it does not seem to be happening,” Cllr McMonagle said.
“Year after year, we have approved posts that cannot be filled, or else they are filled on a locum basis, or else people move on, and we can never get the necessary consultants, podiatrists, nurse practitioners.
“People are spending months in hospital because there isn’t a proper podiatrist service.”
Saolta said that a consultant post at LUH has been offered to one successful candidate and this is currently being progressed for clearance with the Public Appointments Service. A Locum Consultant Endocrinologist took up this post on Monday the 23rd of September on a specified purpose contact until the post is filled permanently.
A second consultant post was offered to another candidate, but they have since withdrawn.
Letterkenny University Hospital has also recruited an agency Basic Grade Podiatrist, who is working as a Podiatry Assistant while their CORU registration is pending. The Senior Grade Podiatrist post remains vacant.
Cllr McMonagle urged the executive to continue efforts to fill all vacant posts.
“We seem to have a serious problem recruiting the necessary staff to our hospital in Letterkenny and you just have to wonder why,” Cllr McMonagle said.
Ann Cosgrove, Interim CEO, Saolta University Health Care Group acknowledge that they have been “challenged” in filling consultant posts.
Ms Cosgrove said Letterkenny is a pilot site for a national programme to attract staff to a Model 3 hospital and that the focus remains on the needs of patients in Donegal and getting staff into the systems.
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