Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Again, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. Diabetes is a complex condition that can have a profound impact on the quality of life of people living with the condition. If not well managed, it can lead to debilitating complications. The increasing prevalence of diabetes poses a major challenge to our health service, with increasing costs driven primarily by hospitalisation and treating associated complications. Management of the condition is required across the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery, including self-management support, as well as care delivered through general practice, community specialist care and hospital inpatient specialist care. Diabetes services at Portlaoise hospital provide care for patients with paediatric, adult and gestational diabetes. The services provide treatment for.patients as part of a multidisciplinary team comprised of consultant endocrinologists, dieticians, clinical nurse specialists in diabetes for adults and children, an advanced nurse practitioner and a podiatrist.

Portlaoise hospital services have been providing insulin pump therapy service to patients since 2017. Insulin pump therapy supports patients to improve their glucose control and improves their quality of life. Currently, 86 children with type 1 diabetes are attending the hospital, with 49 patients receiving insulin pump therapy. At present, approximately nine new patients require access to this therapy each year, which is guided by the paediatric model of care for children and young people with type 1 diabetes.

As patients reach 16 years, diabetes services hold a transitional clinic where paediatric patients are supported to transition to the adult diabetes service. The Deputy was speaking about that transitional care piece. In the past two years, eight patients have transferred to the adult service, five of whom continued to receive insulin pump therapy. It is estimated that approximately 11 patients will transfer to the adult service in 2022 and a further 14 will transfer in 2023.

Portlaoise hospital recognises the importance of this service for diabetic patients and their families. The hospital is working to support the dietetic service in meeting the increasing demand for insulin pump therapy as patients are transferred from the paediatric to the adult service. Currently, six adult patients receiving care are on insulin pump therapy and four adult patients are on the waiting list. Portlaoise hospital has employed an advanced nurse practitioner in diabetes to support the diabetes service and has recently approved an additional 0.5 whole-time equivalent to meet immediate needs in the dietetic service. I do not know how recently that was.

The HSE is committed to working with Portlaoise hospital to maintain and improve diabetes services, including through further development of the adult insulin pump service. This response indicates there is active management involvement in ensuring we can recruit the staff to meet the needs of the growing population transferring from paediatrics into adult care. The first response has been the recruitment of the 0.5 whole-time equivalent.

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