Yesterday, Monday, 3 October, dermatology clinics were cancelled at Sligo University Hospital, SUH. A letter was sent on 22 September by Dr. McKenna, the consultant dermatologist at SUH, to healthcare providers telling them the clinics would be cancelled. The reason we have got to this point is more than 3,500 new patients are waiting for their first appointment and there are 100 new referrals each week. That is a four-year waiting list. We have a long-standing unfilled consultant post at SUH with no locum. The straw that has broken the camel's back is that Dr. McKenna now has no secretarial or administrative staff. Despite two months' notice to the hospital that this position needed to be filled, no secretary has been appointed. I read the response to Dr. McKenna and basically it states, "We can do nothing." We now have no service because there is no administrative support.

I agree with the Deputy that this is a matter of hospital administration and management; let us be honest about it. It should never be raised on the floor of Dáil Éireann. It should not have to be raised on the floor of Dáil Éireann.

I raised it already

I have been presented with a note that suggests a locum medical secretary has been assigned to dermatology starting today, 4 October 2022, until a permanent grade 4 has been appointed from a recently formed panel of applicants. The clinical administrative management met with the consultant yesterday to update him on the staff member being assigned to dermatology. A follow-up meeting has to take place with the consultant, new staff member and clinical administrative management supervisor tomorrow to agree what supports are needed to help to get the job done.

Perhaps raising it here matters.

When we are down to that level of operational detail in how a hospital is being run, there is an issue.