Mullingar Diabetic Day Centre closes temporarily
by Navjyoti Dalal
In a shock move, the Regional Hospital Mullingar has temporarily suspended the Adult Day Diabetes Service.
HSE Dublin and Midlands said that the decision was taken because: “The service has experienced multidisciplinary staff challenges and currently has staffing shortages due to vacant Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) positions and one Clinical Specialist Dietitian position.”
The decision has sparked outrage, with local TDs raising serious patient safety concerns. Sinn Féin TD for Longford-Westmeath, Sorca Clarke, has called on the Minister for Health and the HSE to explain how the Diabetic Day Centre at Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, was allowed to close due to staffing shortages, and to give a firm date for its reopening.
The statement issued by HSE Dublin and Midlands added that efforts are being made to restore the service to full capacity as soon as possible. “We have worked to recruit to these positions and appointments are being considered for approval to proceed. We hope to make appointments as soon as possible,” it said.
“The consultant-led diabetes outpatient service at Regional Hospital Mullingar will be unable to accept new referrals during this period. Existing pathways to the Community Diabetes Service will continue to accept referrals,” said the statement, adding, “We recognise the impact this current temporary service reduction creates for patients and GPs and sincerely regret any inconvenience caused.”
In absence of an operational Mullingar Diabetic Day Centre, the existing patients of the Diabetes Service will be managed through Consultant Diabetes Outpatient Clinics, with some patients prioritised for earlier and more frequent follow up in Consultant led clinics.
But Deputy Clarke shared that she was contacted by constituents with serious concerns about patients with type 1 diabetes, including insulin-dependent patients (who need ongoing input from specialist nurses, dieticians and endocrinologists) having no access to the service.
“This is a patient safety issue, plain and simple. People with type 1 diabetes rely on specialist teams to keep them well and out of hospital. Those teams are now gone, and patients and their GPs have been left to cope.
“Closures like this don't happen overnight. Government and the HSE have questions to answer about when this shortfall was identified, why it wasn't addressed, and if patients were given proper notice or alternative arrangements,” said Deputy Clarke
Similar sentiments were expressed by Fine Gael TD for Offaly, John Clendennen. Deputy Clendennen raised the issue with An Tánaiste, Simon Harris TD, during questions on policy or legislation this (Thursday) afternoon.
According to Deputy Clendennen a letter has been issued by Margaret Kelleher, Hospital Manager at Regional Hospital Mullingar informing patients that the Diabetes Day Service at the hospital is suspended due to staff shortages.
The Mullingar Hospital has a dedicated Diabetes service and serves many patients across the Midlands including Offaly.
“I want to be very clear that this is not in any way a criticism of the doctors, nurses or other healthcare professionals providing these services. Staff are working under considerable pressure and doing their utmost. However, if I use the example of small businesses that encounter challenges such as staff shortages, they don’t just close their doors, we need to see similar resilience and creativity from the HSE in provision of this important service.”
Deputy Clendennen called for urgent action to strengthen diabetes services across the Midlands, highlighting constituent cases involving a two-year wait for an insulin pump and the suspension of Diabetes Day Services at Regional Hospital Mullingar due to staff shortages.