Pringle Calls for Urgent Overhaul of Diabetes Care in Donegal

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has today highlighted the dire state of diabetes care services at Letterkenny Hospital, citing a decade-long neglect that has left the region critically underserved. Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Pringle detailed the profound deficiencies within the local healthcare infrastructure, notably the absence of key specialist roles and adequate medical facilities for diabetes care.

“The situation in Donegal is not just disappointing; it is a crisis of care that has been ignored for too long,” stated Deputy Pringle. “We have no consultant endocrinologists, no advanced nurse practitioners in adult diabetes and no access to essential services like podiatry or paediatric endocrinology. Moreover, patients requiring adult insulin pump therapy are left without support due to these glaring shortages.”

Deputy Pringle further emphasised the alarming wait times for diabetic care in the region, with some patients waiting over three years for a follow-up, starkly violating HSE’s six-month guideline for type 1 diabetes management. “How many more promises need to be made before real action is taken?” he asked. “Residents of the northwest deserve the same level of care as those elsewhere in Ireland.”

Responding to the concerns raised, Minister McConalogue acknowledged the ongoing challenges and noted recent improvements in paediatric services. “The recruitment for a new consultant is underway and we are committed to resolving these issues collaboratively,” said Deputy McConalogue. He assured that he is actively coordinating with the Minister for Health to expedite enhancements in adult diabetes care.

Deputy Pringle’s urgent call to action reflects growing frustration among Donegal’s residents and healthcare advocates, echoing Diabetes Ireland’s recent communications with the Minister for Health, urging immediate governmental intervention.