Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On the same matter, in Sligo University Hospital the diabetic dietician has at present been allocated to do other work in the hospital to cover maternity leave. There are type 1 diabetes patients waiting to do the Berger course, which they need to do in order to use the pump. One man contacted me who is waiting 18 months. The pump has been delivered to the hospital but he cannot do the course because there is no dietician available to do that course with him. The pump is sitting there and this man is very frustrated. The company has written to him asking him how he is getting on with the new equipment yet he cannot use it. It is one of these situations where maternity leave is being covered but a service is absent because of the way the cover is organised. There is clearly a huge issue. It is part of this problem of retention and recruitment. In a situation like this, it is a false economy to put people's lives at risk in order to cover maternity leave when a service is removed from another part of the hospital.

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