We simply have no staff to run the clinic anymore and Mullingar deals with patients from counties Westmeath, Leitrim, Offaly, Longford, Meath, Kildare and Roscommon,
said Norman Dolan.
Concerns have been raised by patient representatives following the temporary suspension of the adult day diabetes centre at Regional Hospital Mullingar due to staffing shortages. The HSE sent letters to type 1 diabetes patients at the end of September to inform them of the closure. A group representing patients in the Midlands estimates that approximately 600 type 1 diabetes patients use the service, with around 200 patients currently waiting for a pump.
Patient Concerns and Impact on Care
Norman Dolan, a type 1 diabetic from Delvin, Co Westmeath, campaigned for the specialist clinic alongside others over 20 years ago following a commitment from then-Health Minister Mary O’Rourke. Expressing disappointment and concern for the future, Mr Dolan stated that retired staff had not been replaced. He noted that type 1 diabetes patients rely on specialist teams to stay well and avoid hospital admission, warning that the closure impacts patient safety.
I genuinely feel so sorry for those people,
said Mr Dolan regarding patients waiting for pumps. They’re injecting and they’re finger pricking and, with the new technology that’s out there, they shouldn’t have to be doing that. But because there is no service in place, there is no one to provide these patients with training.
Orla Petticrew, who has lived with diabetes for over forty years, emphasized that the specialized service is vital because the condition can cause complications from head to toe. Patients also questioned directions to contact their GPs, noting that hospital computers hold their information and pump sensors transmit data directly to the hospital.
Staff Vacancies Cause Temporary HSE Service Closure
The HSE confirmed that the service faced multidisciplinary staff challenges
due to vacant Clinical Nurse Specialist positions and one vacant Clinical Specialist Dietitian position. The health service described these roles as an important part of delivering comprehensive diabetes care and supporting patients in the management of their condition
.
Stating that the closure was temporary
, the HSE added that every effort is being made to restore the service to full capacity as soon as possible
and that appointments for recruitment are being considered for approval to proceed. However, patients remain unconvinced, pointing out that the dietitian post has been vacant for over two years and retired nurses have not been replaced. We’re constantly being told they’re interviewing but interviewing does not replace a person in the hospital,
Mr Dolan said.
