Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On most occasions that I speak in the House, I am addressing a problem but, today, I am addressing an opportunity. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, has stated on a number of occasions that he supports changing the way health care services are configured to improve delivery to patients who need the services. I believe there is a big opportunity presenting in regard to the provision of insulin pump therapy to those who need it in the north west. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune condition characterised by the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas, leading to an inability to produce insulin, resulting in raised blood glucose levels in children. Conventional treatment involves giving insulin injections anything from two to five times per day using an insulin pen device. Alternatively, it can be delivered using an insulin pump.

It is accepted worldwide that the pump therapy is the best treatment option for many children with type 1 diabetes. Insulin pump therapy can provide a child with a much improved quality of life, reduces the number of injections to be endured daily and can reduce the incidence of long-term complications arising, such as blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage. These long-term complications of current diabetic treatments are extremely difficult and expensive to deal with. International studies have shown that improved control of diabetes in children and adults can reduce the incidence of severe and costly complications arising by as much as 76%. There is also an immediate cost saving to our health services in that, if a child with type 1 diabetes has an illness, it tends to be more manageable at home if a child is using an insulin pump.

In summary, from a health and well-being perspective as well as from a short-term and long-term economic perspective, it is clear that insulin pump therapy is the way to go. This was recognised in the HSE expert advisory group report on diabetes. What is happening at present, however? At present, children in the north west who were referred for insulin pump treatment must go on a waiting list and eventually travel to Dublin for the treatment. This causes absenteeism from school, financial cost to their parents and disruption to the lives of the children and their parents, and they are the lucky ones. Because of the numbers seeking such treatment, many are never taken from the waiting list. This is not equity of access; this is discrimination based on location.

We do, however, have a big opportunity in the north west because Sligo Regional Hospital has a consultant paediatrician with a special interest and training in endocrinology who is willing to support insulin pump therapy, and there is a part-time paediatric diabetes nurse qualified to support pump therapy. The elements are all in place. All it needs is the political will of the Minister and the Government and a modest resource allocation, which would in time be saved many times over, to make it happen. Will this be done and, if not, why not?

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