Patients to 'keep pushing' for nurse at Mullingar's Paediatric Diabetic Service

A Tullamore woman whose son has Type 1 diabetes has said that patients of Mullingar’s Paediatric Diabetic Service have not yet been informed of developments in the hiring of a new diabetic paediatric nurse which is required for the service to remain open.

In a statement released today, hospital management said:

“The Paediatric Diabetic Service at Regional Hospital Mullingar has been temporarily suspended pending the successful recruitment of a diabetic paediatric nurse. Regional Hospital Mullingar is currently in the process of hiring a new diabetic paediatric nurse. It is hoped the new diabetic paediatric nurse will be in situ in the coming weeks.

"The management of Regional Hospital Mullingar would like to apologise to the patients and families for the inconvenience caused at this time."

Patients were informed this week that the clinic was closing due to a lack of staff.

Julie Wynne from Tullamore, whose 16 year-old son Cian has Type 1 diabetes, said that she and other parents and service users “won’t don’t believe anything until we get the paperwork and confirmation about the position being filled.”

They had previously been informed that the position was being advertised in November and that a nurse was due to begin working in March.

“In a letter we got on Tuesday, we were told a nurse was supposed to be starting in March but that something else had come up and that the nurse couldn’t start until 2022.

“I was in contact with the hospital yesterday and I asked was there an update on the position being filled and they hadn’t heard anything.”

Julie was told she and other parents and patients will be notified when a nurse is hired.

“Us parents are always in contact with each other and nobody has mentioned it."

Currently 130 children require services from the clinic, with one nurse being allocated to 70 patients.

“We need two nurses,” Julie said. “We still need psychologists, social workers and dietitians as well. We were told what was needed by Dr O’Grady, and one nurse isn’t good enough.

"There's no service there and there hasn't been for a long time. I'm very annoyed and anxious for all the children attending the service."

Cian says that people are shocked at the lack of support for the service.

"We're putting the pressure on, but if you take your foot off the pedal it will go back to how it was. We've been getting positive feedback from councillors and TDs to get a nurse but it needs to go further with getting a second nurse.

"What are the people who have been recently diagnosed supposed to do? I have a friend who was diagnosed nearly a year ago and he hasn't had an appointment in there yet. He talks to me help him with his medication, but I don't fully know what he's supposed to be taking or doing."

Julie says that they have been let down so many times.

"Until we get written confirmation that a nurse has been hired we’re going to keep pushing," she finished.