Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD opens new Diabetes Centre at Sligo University Hospital

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD has officially opened a new Diabetes Centre at Sligo University Hospital.

The new centre consists of five multi-purpose clinic rooms including podiatry clinic room, an education room and a number of offices.

The opening of this new centre allows for a more timely access to Consultant clinical expertise with the introduction of a 24 hour rapid assess Consultant weekly slots. This will reduce the admission and length of stay rates in SUH.  Access to both Endocrinologist, Dietician, Clinical Nurse Specialist in a one stop shop will increase patient care and satisfaction rates.

Specialist clinics have also been introduced including transition and young adult clinics, which are running alongside existing services, allowing patients to access multidisciplinary expertise within the one facility.

Opening the new centre on Friday, Minister Donnelly said: “It is a privilege to be in Sligo today to open this new Diabetes Day Unit. 

It is estimated that there are approximately 266,000 people living with diabetes in Ireland and this is set to increase by 5-10 per cent year on year. Thousands of people in this region who have been diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus will benefit from this new development in Sligo and will have positive patient outcomes as a result. Investment such as this is how we are continuing to build a world-class health service that serves the needs of communities long into the future and makes the experiences of patients and their families better.”

The project involved the construction of a new 300sq/m single storey, standalone building within the SUH campus. The new facility meets the existing needs of the paediatric and adult diabetes service in Sligo. The new building is located adjacent to the existing Orthodontics department to the north east of the main hospital building.

Building works began in October 2019 and were completed in March 2021. The centre has been fully operational since May 2021.

Welcoming the official opening on Friday, Grainne McCann, hospital manager at Sligo University Hospital said: “There are over 5,000 people diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus in the Sligo/Leitrim, West Cavan area. SUH is one of the six national designated centres of excellence under the National Clinical Care programmes. This new centre provides a bright, calm, relaxed, and confidential environment for people with diabetes attending this service.

“I want to thank the Friends of SUH, Members of Parent Group Sligo and Diabetes Ireland Parent Support Group Donegal for their support and dedication to getting this centre completed. We are in a position, since the opening of the centre,  to provide enhanced facilities to educate patients and their families, which is a key component of the service.” she added.

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Currently 8.5% of the Irish population (1 in 12 people) over 50 years of age has a diagnosis of Diabetes. Diabetes in now the biggest cause of amputation, stroke, blindness, and end stage renal failure. Individuals with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease relative to the general population and have a greater risk of dying from these conditions.