Over 7,000 appointments at LUH cancelled over a period of 9 months

Over 7,000 appointments and procedures at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) have been cancelled in the space of nine months.

New figures released to Sinn Féin through a Parliamentary Question reveal that 7,175 scheduled hospital appointments and procedures were cancelled at the hospital from their original dates between January and September of this year.

This amounts to an average of approximately 26 cancellations every day, with the winter months expected to only increase the number of cancellations further.

Donegal Sinn Féin TD, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, has called for a push in the development of the new Surgical Hub to begin construction.

“These figures are deeply concerning and evidence of the ongoing crisis at the hospital due to years of wilful neglect and funding discrimination by central government.” Deputy Mac Lochlainn said. “Behind these figures are patients who have waited months, and sometimes years, for care.

“They arrange time off work, organise transport and make family arrangements, only to have their appointments cancelled.

“While many appointments will be rescheduled, cancellations cause unnecessary disruption, anxiety and uncertainty for patients who are already facing lengthy waits.

"After a determined campaign by hospital consultants, GPs, hospital campaigners and public representatives in Donegal, we secured a promise of a Surgical Hub and additional hospital beds from the government and the HSE.

“The plans to deliver both are just too slow, and we have no clear timelines for delivery. We need the plans to now push on to the construction stage and delivery as soon as possible. We need to see urgency and renewed focus.”