More than 400 people across the Midwest have been admitted to hospital due to diabetes complications in the past four years.
It comes as the UL Hospitals Group says it can’t put a timeline on when two consultant endocrinology posts at the region’s main hospital will be filled.
Following questioning from Fianna Fail Councillor Cillian Murphy at this week’s Regional Health Forum West, it was revealed 419 people have sought help in the region’s hospitalS for either dangerously low or dangerously high blood sugar levels in the past four years.
389 of these received treatment at University Hospital Limerick, with 8 presentations to Ennis’ Medical Assessment Unit.
67 presentations – or just over 15 percent of the total figure – were from patients under the age of 18.
The meeting also heard a second consultant endocrinologist began work in October 2020, with two further posts that have received funding approval yet to be filled.
The UL Hospitals Group says it can’t put a timeline on when this will change and that they’re currently being progressed through the approved HR process.
The Group says recruitment of two senior dieticians is at ‘an advanced stage’ and developing diabetes services is a ‘core focus’ for ULHG going forward.
