Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher Leas Cheann Comhairle has called on the HSE and the Department of Health to immediately fund the repair and restoration of the Telemetry Monitor service at Letterkenny University Hospital.
The Cardiology Rehab service at St. Conal’s has suspended services due to the lack of Telemetry Monitoring service as a result equipment breakages
Pat the Cope said the HSE have thus far failed to provide a budget to repair the services which are no longer available in the Hospital.
He stressed how essential the Cardiology Rehab Unit is for the patients of Donegal, and highlighted the vacant position for a second Cardiology nurse was unacceptable after four years.
Pat the Cope said: “In light of the fact that this was an excellent service , with the unit providing service of highest possible standards to all its patients – it is critical that the HSE and the Department of Health immediately source funding to restore the services and the necessary equipment and provide adequate staff for the unit.
“The current situation whereby a position for a second Cardio nurse is vacant for the past 4 years or more is just not acceptable.
“It is equally as unacceptable that due to equipment issues that the service is no longer available – in instances such as the provision of these critical services required for Cardio related issues no interruption in services should occur either due to equipment or staff shortages.
“The HSE as a policy should have contingencies in place to cater for every eventuality so that services to the patients in need are always provided for and catered for at all times.”
Pat the Cope stated: “I am calling on the HSE, Department of Health and the Minister for Health to immediately address the issue of the lack of telemetry monitoring and the Cardiology Rehab service at Letterkenny University Hospital – and to guarantee the immediate restoration of full service capacity without further delay.
“In addition to that a second Cardio nurse must be employed to fill the vacancy left for the past 4 years. This is an essential service for those in Donegal who need to avail of the Cardiology Rehab Unit – and the current disruption to the availability of the service should never been allowed to happen.
The Deputy called on the HSE and the Minister for Health to put in place a critical baseline service level so essential service cannot be interrupted due to equipment outages or staff shortages.
“We cannot have a situation where services which are critical to patients wellbeing and survival are dependent on equipment being in a working condition on a day to day basis nor for that matter on staff availability or staff shortages,” Pat the Cope said.
