by Louise Doyle
HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has been urged to “pay very close attention” to what he is told when he meets with GPs and consultants in Letterkenny University Hospital this morning.
The health minister has been told that Letterkenny University Hospital is underfunded by €45 million.
The facility is receiving 25 per cent less than is needed to meet the facility’s needs.
Today’s meeting comes after 78 GPs, backed by 11 consultants, wrote to Minister Donnelly expressing their grave concerns about the emergency department at LUH. They sought an external review and action plan regarding access to the department and acute services amid fears of a ‘service collapse’.
A follow-up letter sent last week from consultants outlined the stark deficits Letterkenny University Hospital faces, which medical experts say need to be urgently addressed.
Minister Donnelly failed twice to show up for a scheduled Dáil discussion about LUH tabled by Sinn Féin deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Pearse Doherty.
Speaking during a debate this week on a Sinn Féin motion calling for the abandonment of plans for a health recruitment freeze, Deputy Pádraig MacLochlainn warned underfunding has also had an impact on staffing and bed numbers.
Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle has welcomed the Minister’s visit to Donegal tomorrow, with the added caveat that “a meeting isn’t a solution”.
“A meeting isn’t a solution. It should be the start of finding a solution. I welcome the fact that Minister Donnelly is coming, and I understand he is going to meet some of the GPs and consultants who wrote to him while he’s here. Fair play to the GPs and consultants for holding out and pushing for the minister to come to Donegal. It’s important that he sees and hears first-hand some of the critical difficulties they face,” he said.
Deputy Pringle described the deficit of beds in the hospital as “shocking”.
“The funding allocation per patient in Letterkenny is the lowest of any of the hospitals in the Saolta Group as well, despite Letterkenny University Hospital treating nearly 26,000 inpatients in a year.
“We need to see the Minister agree to actions that will address these deficits,” he said.
Meanwhile, a public meeting will take place in Mount Errigal Hotel on Thursday, November 30, at 8pm to address mounting concerns at LUH.
The platform is also being offered to representatives of GPs and hospital consultants.
Mary T Sweeney, Chair of the Letterkenny Hospital Campaign Group, said an invite has been extended to Minister Donnelly.
“We believe that the personal experiences of patients and families are crucial to gain a full understanding, of the many failures and shortcomings experienced in the current services, and what needs to be fixed at Letterkenny Hospital.
“To make sure that your personal story is aired and documented on the night, we would like the members of the public, to bring along a written account of their personal stories or experiences. With your permission, we will then forward those records to both the Minister for Health and to the Saolta Hospital Group following the meeting.”
A number of speakers are confirmed for next week’s meeting but anyone else who wishes to share their personal story they wish to speak publicly about at the meeting is urged to contact the group by emailing letterkennyhospitalcampaign@gmail.com or telephoning 0876707002.
While in Letterkenny tomorrow Minister Donnelly will also turn the sod on the site of a new €56 million community nursing unit.
He will perform the honours at the site on the Kilmacrennan Road, opposite Letterkenny University Hospital’s Emergency Department.
The new hospital, which is scheduled to be up and running in the first quarter of 2026, will also have a major impact in relation the step-down facilities for Letterkenny University Hospital.
Minister Charlie McConalogue TD said: “The investment in a new community hospital for Letterkenny represents a further step on from the significant investment we’ve seen in primary care services across the county.”
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