Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise on the Adjournment the issue of podiatry services for people with diabetes. A very strong campaign has been conducted across the country, particularly in County Cork, on the absence of leadership by the Government and the HSE in the management and treatment of diabetes. Approximately €23.3 million was spent between 2005 and 2009 treating what the Fine Gael spokesman on health, Deputy Reilly, would consider to be preventable diabetic foot disease complications. This expenditure illustrates short-term thinking in the health service. Of the 1,691 patients from Cork city and county admitted for treatment for foot ulcers during the five-year period, one third had diabetes. A further 202 people with diabetes from County Cork had to have a lower limb amputation in the same period, a very high figure when one considers that 5% of the population suffer from diabetes. When one also considers that the paediatric diabetes service is poor and that the Minister and HSE have on a number of occasions been asked to be more proactive in this regard - they have not been - one will see that we are now forcing people with diabetes into under-resourced treatment services. We are prolonging hospital stays and spending money badly.

In the HSE South area €75 million was spent in treating approximately 2,500 inpatients with diabetes for diabetic foot disease between 2005 and 2009. That figure could be lowered by employing one hospital or community podiatrist to work locally to prevent contraction of the disease. In so doing one could run a foot screening programme that would, according to the Diabetes Federation of Ireland, cost a maximum of €80,000. For an investment of €1.56 million we could employ 20 podiatrists and provide a nationwide service. Ireland currently has the lowest number in Europe of employees providing podiatry for diabetes, has only two hospital podiatry posts and, I suggest, a broken and unco-ordinated community service. The report of the Health Service Executive advisory group published in 2008 recommended we employ 100 podiatrists. I accept we will not be able to do this in the current economic climate but an investment of €1.56 million would allow us to employ 20 podiatrists. I am quoting in this regard statistics provided by the HSE. The effective control of diabetes would lead to a massive reduction in the development and progression of complications, a significant reduction in the number of amputations and a reduction in the number of people seeking hospital beds, resulting in savings to the State.

I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's reply. While I accept this is not his area of responsibility, I hope his reply will be positive.