Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

What the Minister has just read out does not tally with the request for the meeting that has been sent to him. The Donegal branch of Diabetes Ireland has said that the situation with patient safety at the hospital is "beyond critical". There is currently no endocrinologist in the hospital and there are three vacant posts. There are no advanced nurse practitioners. Two posts were not approved by the HSE. There are no podiatrists and there are also two vacant posts in podiatry. There is no access to pump therapy. There are no psychology supports. LUH has the worst record of recall for type 1 diabetes patients, with waiting lists of more than three years. That information is in the correspondence sent to the Minister. There is something badly wrong with what the Minister is being told, through Saolta University Health Care Group, I assume, given what is actually happening on the ground. As the Minister acknowledged, the Donegal branch of Diabetes Ireland is highly respected.

The branch members have met various Ministers over the years, including the current Taoiseach, James Reilly and the Minister. I ask him to meet them please at the earliest opportunity.

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