A Donegal Councillor wants the Irish government to make more funds available so people with diabetes in Donegal have greater access to support and services.
A major concern for patients with diabetes was the lack of services in podiatry locally following the failure by the HSE to replace the outgoing podiatrist at Letterkenny University Hospital.
Cllr Frank McBrearty, who suffers from the condition, said more had to be done for patients, especially older people, to have easier access to support in the county.
“I am calling on the HSE and LUH to overhaul and enhance the services for people living with diabetes,” he said.
“Diabetes does not discriminate against children, adults and our older population who suffer from this illness, and women during pregnancy which is becoming more common.
‘I want to commend the work that the Donegal branch of Diabetes Ireland does in continuing to highlight the problems within our services.
“I am aware of peoples appointments being cancelled three and four times, particularly new patients, and this is not good enough,” he added.
“Diabetes can cause other medical problems affecting the kidneys, eye, heart, blood pressure and it can lead to people having to have amputations.”
A further concern by Cllr McBrearty is the lack of staff in Donegal clinics for patients in the county.
“We need a tenfold increase in the services available and for it to be accessible at a local level in order for people to avail of the services easier.
“These services should be available in every community and there should be an education program made available in our schools about how serious diabetes actually is (education, prevention and the role of the nursing team).
“We have a fantastic team of people who work in our clinics, which I attend myself but they are severely understaffed which is not good enough.
“These services must be supported including the expert service of podiatrists because one of the biggest problems diabetics have are to do with their feet.
“There is lack of podiatrist services in the county and if re-elected I will lobby the government for more funding to increase services right across the board and for these services to be managed better by the HSE at management level.”
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