Don't leave Letterkenny Hospital again behind says Pringle

TD Thomas Pringle, has expressed concerns over the scaling back of essential services at Letterkenny University Hospital.

Deputy Pringle (Independent), addressing the Taoiseach in the Dáil, said: “Over 2,000 eye-care patients in Donegal have been waiting over a year to get necessary treatment due to the lack of an ophthalmic service in the county. The ophthalmic service for the north west is now mostly based in Sligo University Hospital, as Letterkenny does not currently have the nursing and medical staff required.

“Despite this, there doesn’t seem to be any push in putting the staff and facilities necessary for a properly functioning service in place in Letterkenny. I am wondering whether the intention is to completely run down the service in Letterkenny altogether,” he said.

The deputy had also called attention to the issue last week. He learned, in response to a parliamentary question he submitted, that 45 per cent of people waiting on ophthalmology treatment in Donegal and the surrounding region – the HSE’s Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1 – had been waiting for more than a year.

Deputy Pringle concluded: “Will your government ensure that Letterkenny University Hospital is not being left behind once again and that a fully functioning ophthalmic service will be re-established here?”