'It is called a pain clinic for a reason' - TD lambasts 'inadequate' pain clinic at SUH

A TD who represents south Donegal in the Dáil has told the Taoiseach that the pain clinic at Sligo University Hospital is not meeting patients’ needs and is "inadequate". Many Donegal patients are served by the hospital in Sligo.

Independent TD Marian Harkin spoke of her frustrations about the clinic in the Dáil:

“It is called a pain clinic for a reason and for many people it is the final step in a long journey of chronic, unremitting pain. These people badly need and deserve immediate attention and effective action to help control their pain.”

“Over the last two years I've submitted a number of questions about the pain clinic service and the most recent response I received from the HSE said they had received funding to establish the clinic on a permanent basis.

"Previously, the pain clinic had been set up on the basis of a pilot programme, but eleven months after the pilot programme finished patients tell me that there are waiting times of anything from 12 to 24 months.

"Even when someone gets an appointment, I am informed that the facilities needed to carry out certain procedures are inadequate,” she said.

Ms Harkin told the Taoiseach she had written to Health Minister Donnelly about this matter and pressed the Taoiseach to raise the issue of the pain clinic with him. The Taoiseach committed to doing so, she said.