Benbulbin integrated care hub is transforming the lives of people living with chronic diseases in Sligo

The Benbulbin hub, which is located in Ballytivnan, Sligo town was opened in 2023 as part of a €240m nationwide Enhanced Community Care (ECC) programme to enhance the care provided by the HSE in community settings.

This move away from hospital-based care means patients have access to highly specialised clinical teams, closer to their home and is a cornerstone of Sláintecare, Ireland’s strategy for reforming the health and social care system.

Since opening in 2023, clinical teams in the hub have facilitated 45,000 patient contacts and accepted 10,000 referrals from GPs and Sligo University Hospital consultants.

The Benbulbin hub is home to three specialist teams in Cardiology, Diabetes and Respiratory Medicine. Patients attending the hub have access to a full multidisciplinary team (MDT) staffed with Consultants, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Advanced Nurse Practitioners in Diabetes, Respiratory, Cardiology, Respiratory and Cardiac Physiologists, Physiotherapists, Dieticians, Podiatrists, Psychologists and Administration support.

These services are all delivered in the community, helping to reduce pressure on the acute hospital system while also targeting these conditions at an earlier stage of development.

During a visit to Sligo last month, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill spent time with patients and staff at the hub and has commended the clinical teams for their efforts in bringing care closer to home.

Minister Carroll MacNeill said, “I was delighted to visit the Benbulbin Chronic Disease hub in Sligo, to meet patients and to hear first-hand the impact that these services are having in our local communities. The chronic disease management programme represents a new approach to working with patients to manage their healthcare. Developed as part of the Enhanced Community Care Programme, the Benbulbin hub has successfully moved the care of targeted chronic diseases into the community setting, and closer to home for patients, reducing waiting times and improving access to specialist treatment and support for these patients.”

Mary Conboy, Ballintogher, Co Sligo and Patrick Fox, Kiltyclogher, Co Leitrim both attend the Benbulbin hub, they met with Minister Carroll MacNeill during her visit on May 2nd and have praised the service saying; “The hub is a fantastic facility where you have access to all the health professionals to help you manage your chronic illness and it's where you would want your family or friends to have access too. It's brilliant to be able to park outside the front door and not have to worry about finding parking. Very friendly and helpful staff make your visits a pleasant experience”

The Benbulbin hub now has three Consultants working 50% of their time in the community (the hub) and another 50% in Sligo University Hospital. Dr Ciara Gough supports the Respiratory team, in particular, COPD and Asthma, Dr Arun Eapen supports the Cardiology team and Dr David Tansey supports people with Diabetes (mainly Type 2).

The Diabetes service in particular is yielding very positive results in terms of reduced waiting times for patients and earlier diagnosis and access to treatment. The team led by Dr David Tansey is providing outreach clinics in Enniscrone, Ballinamore and Ballyshannon every 3 months and has recently established Ireland’s first ever early onset type 2 diabetes clinic.

Dr David Tansey Integrated Care Consultant Lead for Diabetes services at Benbulbin integrated care hub said: “My diabetes service at the hub is delivering on the Sláintecare vision of delivering high quality healthcare close to the patient. We have revolutionised the way that we care for our 8,000 patients with type 2 diabetes. When patients are referred to see me, they are sent an appointment within 2 weeks and are seen within 10 weeks of the referral.

“I have a special interest in early-onset type 2 diabetes which is patients with type 2 diabetes who are under 40 years of age. These patients are high risk of complications, so I have set up the very first dedicated clinic for these patients here at the Benbulbin hub. This will keep them living healthy, fulfilling lives for longer. We are leading the way nationally in delivering cutting edge healthcare for our patients.”

Dr Maria O’Brien, National Service Improvement Lead, Integrated Care Programme for Chronic Disease said: “The integrated care hub, its relationship with the local GPs and Sligo University Hospital and the local population it serves, is an exemplar in terms of how it was envisioned that the Chronic Disease model should be rolling out across the country”

John Fitzmaurice Integrated Healthcare Area manager for HSE South Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and West Cavan concluded; “The management of chronic diseases requires a truly integrated approach and Community teams working in an integrated way with both general practice and acute hospital services are ideally placed to provide the right care, in the right place at the right time. This hub is a crucial resource to support people living with chronic diseases in our region.”