Children's diabetes care
Deputy Murnane O'Connor highlighted shortages of specialist nurses and training for insulin pumps at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. The Tánaiste said he would check with the HSE and also noted broader pressure on minor injury services in the south east.
I want to ask about what is happening for children with diabetes in St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny. The hospital lost two clinical nurse specialists in late 2023 and for some reason has not been able to recruit replacements. The hospital has insulin pumps but nobody is trained to use them. I have met several very upset parents who have children with type 1 diabetes. These children receive five or six injections per day, but they need to be on an insulin pump. This seems to be a huge issue in many hospitals. In Carlow-Kilkenny, I have never seen the parents so upset. I wonder what we can do. The pumps are there, but there are no staff to use them.
On the injury clinics, which another Member asked about, the Minister for Health has been in Carlow twice or three times in the past six months. I asked him about an injury unit or clinic for Carlow. We have a population of more than 62,000 and the population grew by 9% in the latest census. The Tánaiste is correct that we need these injury units across the country. Carlow needs one urgently.
Comment on this
I commend the Deputy on her dexterous use of the time available to her to include two issues. On the diabetes question, clinical nurse specialists are essential so I will check with the HSE on the replacement of those clinical nurse specialists for children with diabetes. The Deputy is correct that their advice is required for proper use of insulin pumps, which are essential. The Deputy knows my thoughts on minor injury units and I have talked to the Minister in respect of the needs of the south east.