Parents of Limerick children with diabetes are concerned that hospital services will be affected as a result of a reduction in consultant manpower.

Over the past year, University Hospital Limerick has had a locum (temporary) consultant endocrinologist dedicated solely to children's type 1 diabetes care.

According to the support group Diabetes Ireland, the temporary consultant post is coming to an end and the service is reverting to a part-time post with the normal commitments to general paediatrics as well as diabetes.

According to Diabetes Ireland, the service will now have considerably less consultant cover dedicated to children with type one diabetes in Limerick.

Dr Anna Clarke of Diabetes Ireland said cutting this dedicated service to one-fifth of what it previously was would put children's health at risk on a daily basis and will lead to the service spending more on inpatient treatment and long term complications.

Diabetes Ireland had raised the issue with the local HSE, but were told that the locum post was ending and there appeared to be no plans to maintain the previous level of consultant cover, Dr Clarke told irishhealth.com

The support group said it is calling on local TDs to bring the issue to the immediate attention of hospital management, the HSE and the Department of Health.