Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 1995

Vol. 457 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - Tralee (Kerry) Hospital Facilities.

Mr. Foley:

The Kerry Diabetic Association was formed in 1984 for the purpose of helping diabetics to help themselves and to represent as a group the interests of Kerry diabetics. It was with this in mind that they started a campaign to have facilities provided for their members at Tralee General Hospital.

There is no dedicated diabetic clinic in Kerry to cater for an estimated 2,500 diabetics. While the two general clinics at Tralee General Hospital cater for all types of illness, there is a diabetic clinic in Cork Regional Hospital. It is the stated policy of the Irish Endocrine Society to have diabetic clinics set up in general hospitals throughout the country.

On 15 December 1992 the Kerry Diabetic Association met the management of Tralee General Hospital to discuss the situation. The idea of a multi-risk factor clinic was proposed by the hospital management who stated that all consultants would have to agree with the proposal. Although the establishment of a diabetic clinic remained the ultimate objective of the Kerry Diabetic Association they were, nevertheless, willing to agree to the multi-risk clinic as a first step. In August 1993 correspondence was received from the general hospital in Tralee stating that there was no progress to report on the setting up of a diabetic clinic as the hospital consultants had not agreed. The matter was again raised in 1994 at a meeting of the Southern Health Board and the reply at that stage seemed to close the door on the matter as far as the diabetic patients in Kerry were concerned.

For this reason I appeal to the Minister to give this worthy cause his personal attention and make the necessary funds available. I appeal to the Government to set up, through the Southern Health Board, a diabetic clinic at Tralee General Hospital.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. O'Shea):

I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

Diabetic in-patient services are provided in Tralee General Hospital by the two general physicians employed in the hospital. Diabetics requiring out-patient services attend one of the two medical clinics held weekly in the hospital.

The establishment of a specialist diabetic clinic at the hospital is a matter to be determined by the Southern Health Board in the context of competing priorities for patient service developments. I understand that the board is conscious of the demand for a specialist diabetic clinic in Tralee. However, it would require the attendance of a consultant diabetologist and additional support staff such as a dietician, an ophthalmologist and a chiropodist.

The board has confirmed that a consultant endocrinologist with a specialist interest in diabetes mellitus is to be appointed shortly to Cork University Hospital. This consultant appointment, which the Department approved on 6 January 1994, will allow the board to expand the number of specialist diabetic clinics which it provides at present in its area.

The board has indicated that it proposes to discuss the question of the provision of a diabetic clinic in Tralee with the new consultant endocrinologist in the context of planning diabetic service developments for the immediate future.