Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has said that the situation where Portlaoise Hospital is being blocked from providing full services to Type 1 Diabetics needs to be resolved.
According to the Laois TD, insulin pump clinic services for adults cannot operate without a senior dietician – a role that is not filled.
Deputy Stanley says that while there is an excellent insulin pump clinic for children, the same service is not available for adults.
He said: “Portlaoise Diabetic Clinic has a catchment area of not just Laois but also North Tipperary, Offaly and South Kildare.
“My information is that there are between 400 to 500 hundred adults that are Type 1 Diabetic who are registered with Portlaoise Hospital.
“They must currently travel to Dublin and pay privately. For those who cannot afford this they are left in limbo.”
According to Deputy Stanley, Portlaoise Hospital has made a case on at least three occasions for funding to recruit a Senior Dietician – but this has not been approved by the HSE or Department of Health.
He said: ““There are currently up to a dozen adolescence who have now become of age who should be transferred to adult services but cannot because it is not available to them.
“It is widely accepted that people who are diabetic need to receive the appropriate services and where these are not provided leads to further medical complications and difficulties.
“This again leads to further costs on the health system and patients not to mention the deterioration of their health.
“I am calling on the Minister for Health to recognise the importance of this service and provide the modest amount of funding required to employ a fulltime Senior Dietician in Portlaoise Hospital.”
SEE ALSO – The final LaoisToday hurling Team of the Week as the 2021 adult calendar concludes
