'Another clear example of the health inequalities faced by the people of Donegal'

The decision by the National Clinical Lead for Dermatology not to approve a consultant dermatologist's post at Letterkenny University Hospital has been slammed.

Professor Anne Marie Tobin refused to sanction the post, despite growing waiting lists and the need for Donegal patients to travel to Sligo.

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She is said to have made the decision stating that a standalone dermatology consultant in LUH would be inappropriate, despite the fact that the service in Sligo is staffed by one consultant.

Cllr Declan Meehan, independent, said the situation is “illogical, unfair, and yet another clear example of the health inequalities faced by the people of County Donegal.”

Currently, there is no dermatology service operating in Letterkenny. All patients requiring dermatology appointments must travel to Sligo University Hospital. For many patients across Donegal, this involves journeys of up to two and a half hours each way - an unacceptable burden for those who may already be dealing with serious or chronic skin conditions, or simply who need to attend outpatient clinics regularly.

Following a recent review of dermatology services, it was formally recommended that LUH be allocated a dedicated dermatology consultant. Funding for this post was approved, raising hopes that Donegal would finally receive the service it urgently requires.

However, Cllr Meehan has confirmed that this decision was subsequently overruled by the National Clinical Lead for Dermatology, who deemed it inappropriate to appoint a standalone consultant in Donegal. The revelation came at a meeting between the HSE, Oireachtas members and Regional Health Forum members this week. It was confirmed by the HSE in response to a question raised by Cllr Meehan.

“This reasoning simply does not stand up to scrutiny,” Cllr Meehan stated. “We are being told that Donegal cannot have a standalone consultant, yet there is currently only one consultant providing the service in Sligo. How can this possibly be justified? The decision is ludicrous, especially given how a new sole consultant in LUH would alleviate pressure on the sole consultant at Sligo.”

Cllr Meehan has written directly to the Minister for Health, calling for immediate intervention and urging the Minister to overturn the decision of the National Clinical Lead.

“The people of Donegal are once again being treated as second-class citizens when it comes to healthcare provision,” he said. “This decision appears to have been made from an ivory tower in Dublin, by someone with no lived experience of the vast geography, rurality, and transport challenges facing patients in our county.”

He further challenged the National Clinical Lead for Dermatology to engage directly with public representatives in Donegal: “I would invite the Clinical Lead to speak to any of us on the ground. We can clearly outline the scale of need, the length of waiting lists, and the hardship patients are enduring. Dermatology is not a luxury — it is a vital and necessary service. When I raised this issue at the Regional Health Forum last May there were over 1,800 patients in Donegal on the dermatology waiting list for more than six months.”

The absence of a local dermatology service has resulted in prolonged waiting times, increasing numbers on waiting lists, and significant financial and logistical strain on patients and families forced to travel long distances for routine appointments.

“This is about fairness," Cllr Meehan added. "It is about equity. And it is about ensuring that people in Donegal have access to the same level of healthcare as those in other parts of the country,” Cllr. Meehan concluded. “I am calling on the Minister to intervene without delay and to ensure that the approved dermatology consultant post at Letterkenny University Hospital is approved and that recruitment can commence.”