NEW DIABETIC RETINOPATHY TREATMENT SERVICE A MASSIVE BOOST FOR DONEGAL Sláintecare project delivers care closer to home for many
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anny O’Donnell used to have to travel for over three hours for his appointment to treat his diabetic retinopathy. He is just one of the many patients that will benefit from the new state-of-the-art Specialist Medical Retina and Intravitreal Injection Therapy service in Donegal. Community Health Organisation Area 1, Letterkenny University Hospital and Sligo University Hospitals in partnership with Sláintecare and the National Diabetic Retina Screening Service announced the establishment of the service in Donegal for patients with a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. “It would take me over three hours to travel to Sligo for my appointment. Coming back was worse for me with being uncomfortable after the procedure. My son had to take off work to take me. Having the service in Letterkenny is a big advantage for me and people like me who and I think it’s great to have this facility on the doorstep,” explained Danny. “I can’t fault the service I got in Sligo and they were very good. It was just the travel. This facility that’s now on our doorstep in Letterkenny is state-of-the-art. The team here treat me like royalty when I come in and I want to thank all the team here. It couldn’t be better.” Another user of the service, Declan Kearney, was also thrilled to hear of the new location. “Before the service was available in Letterkenny I had to take a day off work to attend my appointment in Sligo. A round trip of over six hours. As I needed a driver with me, my father also had to take time off. Now that the service is in Letterkenny it’s an unbelievable difference, it’s less than an hour
38 | HEALTH MATTERS WINTER 2021
ABOVE: Pic 1 L-R Helen Kavanagh, Diabetic Retina Screening Programme; Joe Travers, Deputy General Manager LUH; Dr Darren McAteer Consultant Ophthalmic Physician; Danny McCahill, NCBI; and Colette Murphy, Diabetic Retina Screening Programme management. BELOW: Danny O'Donnell, service user
from where I live and I only need to take a half day’s leave.” Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness in working age individuals' in Ireland, at the present time. It is estimated that there are approximately 190,000 people in Ireland with diabetes and 10 per cent of them are at risk of sight threatening retinopathy. As a result of successfully securing Sláintecare Integrated funding, it is now possible to offer this treatment locally across the Eye Clinic St Conal’s Hospital and Letterkenny University Hospital. The Specialist Medical Retina and Intravitreal Injection Therapy service was
