A Clare TD has expressed serious concern over the lack of services available for diabetes patients in the Mid-West region.
Sinn Féin Deputy Donna McGettigan said: “Following questioning the health minister in the Dáil chamber, the HSE has informed me that they are unable to give a precise timeline for the commencement of pump initiation for adults within their services.
They say this is due to a significant increase in activity in the existing diabetes and endocrinology services. This issue came to my attention when Gráinne Flynn, co-founder of Thriveabetes, contacted me on the matter and I will continue to highlight this with the minister, and I will be asking how she will be addressing this serious gap in services for these patients”.
This issue is further exasperated by the lack of additional staffing and resources particularly in dietetics, which is required to commence this service. The HSE have told McGettigan that this will be partially addressed with the imminent recruitment of a further consultant in Endocrinology.
“I am also aware that the Midwest is the only HSE region in Ireland that does not offer insulin pump therapy to adults with type 1 diabetes. This means that those who live in the region and have the resources are forced to travel to Galway, Cork or Dublin services to get access to these pumps”.
Gráinne Flynn, co-founder of Thriveabetes said: “I now attend the public diabetes service in Galway because, until recently, Limerick was unable to support adults on pumps. I live in Ennis and travel to Galway twice a year for my appointments as well as taking a half day off work. Thankfully, I have the financial resources to choose to do this.
Many other adults with type 1 diabetes don’t have those resources and therefore don’t have the choice to travel elsewhere or go private. Limerick would be so much closer but I’m not confident in the service there as they still don’t do new insulin pump starts”.
Deputy McGettigan said: “Once again the health system in the Midwest is on the back foot and the people of the Midwest deserve better”.
