Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Despite promises given by the Taoiseach and former Minister for Health, diabetes care in Donegal is in a critical situation and requires immediate intervention. In Letterkenny, there are no consultant endocrinologists, no advanced nurse practitioners in adult diabetes, no podiatrists, no paediatric endocrinologists and no physiologists. There is no shared centre of excellence for children between Letterkenny and Sligo University Hospital and no access to adult insulin pump therapy due to a severe shortage of endocrinologists for over ten years. Recall waiting list times are now over 36 months in some cases although HSE guidelines state people with type 1 diabetes should be seen by an endocrinologist every six months. This is unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue. When will the Government start to provide people in the north west with care at the same level as that in the rest of the country? Diabetes Ireland has written to the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, about this. When will he address this crisis?

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