The HSE says it could take up to three years before the full Chronic Disease team in the Primary Care Centre in Ennis is in place.
Recruitment difficulties for specific roles have been cited as the reason for the potential delay.
The Health Service Executive confirmed in March that a Chronic Disease Management Hub was to be established at the new Primary Care Centre on Station Road in Ennis.
20 full-time specialist roles have been assigned to the hub to manage illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and type II diabetes.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Scariff Independent TD, Michael McNamara, the HSE has confirmed that only five roles have been filled so far.
A Clinical Nurse Specialist in Diabetes commenced in May, while a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Cardiology and a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in Respiratory have both also taken up post, as well as a full and a part-time podiatrist.
The Operational Lead and the Project Officer have also both been secured.
Recruitment is at an advanced stage for Senior and Staff Grade Dieticians, Diabetic Clinical Nurse Specialists, Senior Physiotherapists, Respiratory Cardiology Clinical Nurse Specialists, a Staff Nurse and administrative staff.
The health body say it’s difficult to provide a timeline for when the full team will be in place as some grades of posts are proving challenging to recruit.
They go on to say that the estimated full roll out of the Chronic Disease service across the country will take three years.
The hub will form part of the Primary Care Centre in Ennis which is now due to open sometime in the final three months of 2022.
In addition to the posts at the hub in Ennis, further clinical and diagnostic disease posts are being recruited for the region through the University Hospital Limerick Group, however no timeline has been given for when these roles are hoped to be filled.
