Over 170 senior doctors from Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) and local GPs are urgently requesting a meeting with the Minister for Health to discuss the exclusion of LUH from the Surgical Hub plan.
The recent decision confirmed that the new surgical facility for the north west region will be located at Sligo University Hospital (SUH).
The doctors are requesting a meeting with Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to address what they believe is a significant threat to patient care and equitable healthcare access in the north west.
They are also urging an independent review of the HSE’s reasoning for choosing SUH over LUH.
Despite being the only hospital serving County Donegal, LUH was excluded from consideration for the new surgical hub planned by the HSE. Sligo University Hospital (SUH) was instead selected as the preferred site – a decision that clinicians, in a letter to local media, have described as “flawed, unjustified, and deeply damaging.”
“The decision to overlook LUH disregards both the needs of the population and geographical logic,” stated Dr. Padraig McGuinness, a GP in Donegal.
“Donegal has a larger population than the combined areas of Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal, and Cavan. Many of our patients would face round trips of five hours or more to access elective surgical care in Sligo, which is unacceptable and potentially dangerous.”
Consultants at Letterkenny are highlighting the long-standing underfunding and neglect of the hospital:
- LUH receives half the per-patient funding compared to SUH.
- LUH has the longest patient waiting times among all Model 3 hospitals.
In the 2025 HSE Capital Programme, LUH was allocated only 0.3% of the national capital budget – a figure they deem “scandalous” considering the hospital’s patient volume.
“Patients in Donegal already face some of the worst cancer survival rates in the country due to late presentation and access difficulties,” said Dr. Louise Moran, Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthetics at LUH.
“To bypass Letterkenny again is not only medically indefensible but also a direct threat to patient safety and regional equality.”
The HSE has suggested an ambulatory care centre for LUH, but doctors contend that this is an inadequate substitute, lacking dedicated funding, staffing plans, or firm timelines.
“We need substantive surgical infrastructure — not empty promises,” stated Mr. Michael Sugrue, Consultant General Surgeon at LUH.
“Without adequate surgical resources, we simply cannot attract or retain the necessary consultants. This decision endangers the future of general surgery in Donegal and the long-term sustainability of LUH as a Model 3 hospital.”
They emphasize the ‘unprecedented’ unity of over 170 clinicians in taking this action, demonstrating the seriousness of their concerns. Consultants and GPs across Donegal are united in their demand for:
- A direct meeting with Minister Carroll MacNeill within the next month.
- A halt to any final decisions regarding the hub’s location until a fair, evidence-based comparison is completed.
- An independent review of the HSE’s rationale for selecting SUH over LUH.
“This is not merely about infrastructure or a budget allocation,” added Dr. McGuinness.
“It’s about ensuring that Donegal patients receive equal treatment within our health system. Currently, they are not.”
The delegation remains willing to meet with the Minister in Donegal or Dublin and reiterates its call for a solution that aligns with the government’s stated objective: equitable access to elective care for all.
Doctors demand ‘urgent meeting’ with Minister over LUH Surgical Hub was last modified: June 2nd, 2025 by
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