HSE seeks to assure Mayo parents after ‘whispers’ about pediatric diabetes service
Concerns had initially arisen from ‘whispers’ that one staff member was retiring while another was on leave
Staffing concerns at Mayo University Hospital's pediatric diabetes service were addressed at a recent meeting of Health Forum West, with health officials moving to reassure councillors that appropriate cover remains in place for affected families and children.
The issue was raised by Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, who sought clarity on staffing levels at the paediatric unit in MUH following reports in a local newspaper that had prompted concern among constituents.
Cllr Kilcoyne asked how many medical staff are currently operating in the pediatric diabetes clinic at the hospital, and what arrangements were in place to cover staff leave and absences. He said he understood that one or two staff members were either retiring or going on leave, and that there was concern the section could be left without adequate cover as a result.
"There is a bit of concern about it. Can't put my finger on it, but maybe you can tell me exactly what the situation is," he said.
Mary Forde, Integrated Health Area Manager for Mayo, told the meeting the concerns had initially arisen from ‘whispers’ that one staff member was retiring while another was on leave, at a time when the retirement had not yet been confirmed.
She said the position has since moved on. "It has been processed and approved for recruitment, and the retirement date is later on, towards the end of summer," Forde said. She added that the second staff member's leave is being managed under the same processes used to cover absences across all services, and that arrangements are in place to support both newly diagnosed children and those already living with a diagnosis.
Forde said the health service had written to members of the public who had raised concerns, reassuring them that appropriate clinical cover remains in place for families and children.
Responding, Cllr Kilcoyne asked whether there was likely to be any period during which the clinic would be left without cover. Forde said this was not expected. "No, because the staff on the ground have a process in place for covering, and the retirement is in the recruitment stages," she said. "So there may be a gap between the incoming and the outgoing, but that's down to the recruitment process, which happens within the system."