The Sligo GP Society has written to local TDs and the Minister for Health outlining clinicians concerns about dermatology services at Sligo University Hospital [SUH].
Earlier this month, the Sligo GP Society received a letter from a Consultant Dermatologist in SUH in which he explained that he will be on extended leave until mid-July and that no locum consultant was appointed.
In the letter, the consultant expanded on wider matters including an increase in the waiting list as Letterkenny patients are being directed to Sligo.
It is understood this has happened following a relatively recent dermatologist retirement in Letterkenny University Hospital. The SUH consultant also told the local clinicians that he will be retiring soon.
In a statement to RTÉ News, the Sligo GP Society said in the short term they will be unable to have serious dermatological conditions assessed.
"As a result, waiting times for a new patient referred to the service are extremely excessive, and we are concerned that serious pathology will not be treated in a timely fashion," the society said.
The Sligo GP Society statement said the SUH dermatology service "had already been much under-resourced for the past 20 years so from a GP perspective this current situation is hard to fathom.
"It seems that GPs in the Northwest have been entered into a postcode lottery with regard to patient care."
The society cited the closure of the SUH Pain Medicine Service last year. It said there have been "grave concerns expressed amongst our GP community" as they worry patients "are now in real danger of having poor health outcomes".
The Sligo GP Society told RTÉ News that they "simply ask for an adequate and workable dermatology service where urgent cases are seen urgently and routine cases are seen in a timely fashion".
"It seems obvious that by recruiting extra consultants we would not be in this situation," the society said.
'Recruitment is actively ongoing'
Dermatology services in Sligo University Hospital are delivered by a team including a consultant and a specialist registrar along with other medical, nursing and supporting services.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the HSE West and North West said in addition to this team, funding has been approved for two permanent Dermatology Consultant posts.
The spokesperson added that "recruitment is actively ongoing".
The spokesperson said that there are "currently no suitable applicants for these posts," however, "we continue to make every effort to fill the positions".
They said dermatology is a challenging speciality nationally, adding that "it is one of the three priority high volume specialties in the Waiting List Action Plan".
In order to address the waiting lists, HSE West and North West is utilising all available outsourcing capacity via HSE funded streams. This includes Kingsbridge in Belfast and in Derry and the Bons Secours hospital in Galway.
A review of dermatology services in the region is being carried by the Medicine Managed Clinical and Academic Network (MCAN) in HSE West and North West.
The HSE spokesperson said when a consultant is on leave "the hospital alters clinic schedules for that period, as standard practice" and that "dermatology clinics will run as normal after leave period".
Plans to resume SUH Pain Clinic
The HSE spokesperson said that "in relation to the pain clinic, interviews for the permanent Pain Consultant posts were held in May".
They said following these interviews, they have two recommended candidates.
These candidates are now going through the final stages of the recruitment process through Public Appointments Office. One consultant is expected to start in September 2025.
The spokesperson added that "recruitment to fill these two vacant consultant posts on a temporary basis has also been actively ongoing".
The HSE North and North West said the SUH Pain Clinics will resume when consultants commence employment.
