Letterkenny University Hospital
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said Donegal patients face severe delays and consultant resignations at Letterkenny University Hospital and asked for intervention. Stephen Donnelly rejected claims of neglect, said the Government is investing in the hospital, and noted recruitment efforts are showing positive early results.
The people of Donegal are sick and tired of the neglect of Letterkenny University Hospital, LUH. The Minister for Health met with representatives of the County Donegal branch of Diabetes Ireland when he was last up in the county. He learned first-hand about the serious crisis in diabetes care. An adult is supposed to wait six months for an important appointment, but it is 24 months in County Donegal. Recently, not one but two consultant endocrinologists resigned from the hospital. Will the Minister personally intervene to deal with this latest crisis? Will he consider LUH, its absolute neglect and the second-class citizenship that people in County Donegal feel when it comes to going to our hospital?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for the question. I have two points to make in response. I have had more than one person from County Donegal say this to me recently, and I have a suspicion, which is nothing to do with the Deputy at all, that a bit of a whispering campaign is going on concerning LUH. I do not know where this is coming from.
Comment on this
These are facts, the hard facts.
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Then perhaps the Deputy is involved in the campaign. I want to be-----
Comment on this
I am happy to meet the Minister one-to-one to enlighten him, if he wishes.
Comment on this
I want to be absolutely clear to everybody in County Donegal that this Government is investing in and growing LUH. For some reason, people are putting it about that LUH is being downgraded. I want to be unequivocal in this regard, and the facts back this up. We are investing in and growing LUH and we are investing in hospital services and community services in County Donegal. I have personally opened several primary care centres in the county.
Turning to the second point the Deputy raised, for which I thank him, LUH has struggled to hire consultants in certain specialties. I met with the HSE's senior HR team just yesterday and we discussed LUH in particular. It has taken a targeted approach to recruitment in County Donegal.
Comment on this
The initial results are extremely positive in respect of filling those posts, which I think we both agree must be filled.