Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Chronic pain is a devastating condition because it is a long-term one. Thankfully, there has been significant development in provision over the past decade or so but it took a long time to get a proper base within our heath service more generally. The reason for the temporary closure of the chronic pain service in Sligo University Hospital is, as the Deputy said, that the two consultant doctors providing the service are moving to new roles. The HSE advises that recruitment to fill those posts is ongoing and everything is being done to minimise the impact on patients. The refilling of the posts is not impacted by any recruitment pause or anything like that.

As an interim measure until the new consultants are in post, alternative arrangements are being put in place for patients who are currently attending the service. These arrangements include appointments for procedures being offered at Kingsbridge Private Hospital, Sligo, and exploring outsourcing with the National Treatment Purchase Fund. In July, a locum consultant will commence overseeing the governance of a pain management education programme, which is a psychology-based rehabilitative treatment for people with persistent pain. We are committed to continuing to invest in Sligo University Hospital. Staffing at the hospital has grown by 379, from 1,677 in January 2020 to 2,056 in January this year. That is a 22.5% increase. Since 2022, this includes 50 more nurses and midwives, 33 new medical and dental staff, five more patient care staff and 13 additional health and social care professionals. The budget has gone from approximately €159 million in 2020 to €187 million, which is an increase of €28 million, or 17%, in just four years. A total of 27 new beds have opened.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund has advised the Department of Health that three pain relief insourcing initiatives have been approved for the Saolta University Health Care Group, two for outpatients and one for inpatients, which will facilitate treatment for 580 patients on pain relief waiting lists. There are 341 people on the Sligo University Hospital outpatient pain relief waiting list, 78% of whom are waiting six months or less. A total of 107 patients are on the hospital's inpatient day case pain relief waiting list, with 61% of them waiting less than six months. I am not aware of the background as to why the two consultants at SUH's pain clinic have left at the same time and moved on to different portfolios and whether those departures were expected. The Deputy makes a reasonable point that this situation should have been anticipated and that recruitment could have begun earlier to coincide with the consultants leaving.

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