Warning of more diabetes deaths

A SPECIALIST in diabetes treatment has warned that more patients could die or suffer amputations if extra resources are not provided to tackle waiting lists.

Consultant endocrinologist at Beaumont hospital, Dr Chris Thompson, said three diabetics on a waiting list for treatment had already died this year. He said delays also lead to eye disease and kidney failure.

Diabetes Federation of Ireland chairman Dr Thompson said a commitment by the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) to give the diabetes clinic priority in next year’s Budget had to be honoured to prevent further fatalities.

“The third death emphasises the need for the ERHA to fulfil its commitment to prioritise the posting of another diabetes specialist and two specialist nurses.

“Where you have a condition known to have very significant complications, an unnecessary delay is always dangerous. It’s not just the fact that people may die, there is also the possibility of kidney failure, eye disease and high blood pressure.”

Speaking to the Irish Medical Times, he said the ERHA move to prioritise the appointment of extra diabetes specialists came in the wake of his threat to close Beaumont’s treatment waiting list, where 4,000 patients are receiving treatment and thousands more are on a 14-month waiting list.

Dr Thompson said in fairness to the authority, it had given the commitment to prioritise extra posts before the third death occurred.

However, he said the clinic was still hugely understaffed, with just one half-time consultant, Dr Thompson, instead of the five full-time consultants recommended by the Diabetes Service Development Group.

“Based on international standards, there should be two full-time consultants per 100,000 catchment area. In Beaumont, we have a catchment area of 250,000.”

Dr Thompson said patients on the Beaumont list had a 14-month referral wait, followed by another 14 months before they could get a review of their original assessment. When Dr Thompson worked as a consultant in Glasgow, there were three full-time consultants catering for 3,200 patients with a three-week waiting list.

He is engaged in talks with Health Minister Micheál Martin to implement a number of “simple” initiatives to reduce foot and leg amputations and eye disease.

“Our risk of amputation is 20 times that of the US. Simple initiatives to improve footcare can dramatically reduce the amputation rate.

With some extra resources, the long-term outcome would be very effective,” he said.