The waiting time for patients to see a diabetes specialist at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital is now so long that those on the list are at risk of developing blindness or kidney failure or losing a limb while they wait, a consultant at the hospital claimed yesterday.
Dr Chris Thompson said the waiting period was now 14 months, which was entirely unacceptable.
He said he had proposed that an extra consultant be employed to deal with the increasing numbers requiring treatment, but no funding had been provided to recruit somebody.
One of the options now being considered, he said, was not taking any new patients on to the list, but he hoped that would not happen.
"The waiting list has been increasing since I came here 6½ years ago. It is now 14 months, which is devastating for patients. During that time they could develop complications because preventive treatment is delayed. That is unacceptable," he said.
Complications could lead to blindness, kidney failure and amputations.
"I don't feel comfortable that this waiting list is an ethical way for me to look after patients," he added.
Furthermore, he said, conditions at the diabetes day centre at the hospital were "disgraceful".
It was too small and offered little privacy for patients. A new centre was planned but had been shelved due to cutbacks, he said.
The hospital, in a statement, stressed that management had not agreed to the closing of any waiting list at the hospital and that the closing of the list was just one of a number of options proposed by Dr Thompson.
"Hospital management is actively assessing diabetes services in consultation with Dr Thompson, and no decision regarding restriction of services has been taken," the statement said.
"Beaumont recognises that services are severely stretched in many areas, but hospital policy remains that of giving priority to patients in order of need within the resources available. That policy has not changed," it added.
About 5 per cent of the population suffer from diabetes, and the World Health Organisation expects the number of sufferers worldwide to double by 2020.
Dr Thompson said that levels would increase in this State because of increasing obesity and a decrease in the amount of exercise taken.