Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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48. To ask the Minister for Health when he will appoint a paediatric diabetes specialist at University Hospital Galway in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13763/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A Consultant Paediatrician with a Special Interest in Diabetes has been recognised as a priority post for Galway University Hospital. The post was approved, recruited and a Consultant has been appointed to GUH. Due to previous work commitments, the successful candidate will take up their post in March 2017.

The current arrangement, whereby all infants and children under 5 years of age with newly diagnosed diabetes are referred for special services to Limerick University Hospital, will continue until March 2017, when the new post holder will take up position.

In addition, the Saolta Healthcare Group is seeking to recruit a locum Consultant in the intervening period.

The Saolta Group continues to develop paediatric diabetes services across the Group. An Insulin Pump Therapy Service for Children in the Northwest commenced in early 2015. In addition, children commenced continuous insulin infusion therapy at Sligo University Hospital in 2015, with subsequent outreach clinics being delivered at Letterkenny University Hospital.

My Department continues to work with the HSE regarding waiting list performance. In 2016 the HSE has established a Scheduled Care Governance Group to drive improvements in chronological scheduling and minimise non-attendances, ensure that consistent clinical and administrative validation of waiting lists is undertaken by hospitals and to provide care and follow-up monitoring in settings other than a hospital, including by GPs.