A year waiting: Diabetics no closer to help

PARENTS of children with diabetes will picket Munster’s biggest hospital again this morning after a year of frustration and empty promises.

The Cork parents’ support group of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland said it had no option but to mount this second picket outside Cork University Hospital (CUH) — a year to the day since their first picket — after health managers failed to deliver improvements at the hospital’s paediatric diabetes unit.

The group said the unit still does not have the required number of specialist staff to deal with the 270 children who attend for treatment.

The hospital employs just one general paediatric consultant who has a special interest in diabetes.

There is one clinical nurse specialist post, with the position filled by two nurses on a job-sharing basis.

Although a candidate has been identified to fill the paediatric dietician job, the appointment has been delayed because of a blanket ban on recruitment by the Health Service Executive.

The unit’s staffing levels are way below recommended international guidelines, said parents’ spokesperson Charlotte Pearson.

“Per head of population we should have one paediatric endocrinologist per 75 children,” she said.

“We should have one dietician per 100 children — we haven’t even got one. The children have no support.

“Diabetes is not an illness that is going to go away. It needs to be treated and managed properly to avoid problems in the future.

The poor services in Cork are putting the children at risk of developing complications such as blindness, ulceration of the limbs and kidney failure, she said.

Ms Pearson said her group is calling for the immediate appointment of a dedicated consultant paediatric endo-crinologist, three clinical nurse specialists, twodieticians and a socialworker.

Up to 100 people are expected to attend the protest, which takes place from 8am until noon today.

Meanwhile, Labour TDs Kathleen Lynch and Ciarán Lynch said they will try to raise the issue in the Dáil later.

“In 2002 there were 120 children attending CUH for diabetes care,” said Ms Lynch.

“This figure has now risen to 270, with as many as five being diagnosed in one week, with no corresponding increase in staffing levels.

Meanwhile, the HSE said that it has prepared a “statement of need” for the upgrade of the unit’s physical services.

It has also developed a proposal to build an assessment and dedicated paediatric outpatient department and is awaiting approval to proceed with the project as an interim measure.