HSE Mid-West issue care options for Easter Bank Holiday Weekend for Limerick patients

AHEAD of the Easter bank holiday weekend, HSE Mid-West is encouraging the public to familiarise themselves with all local community and hospital options available to meet their healthcare needs.

The Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) remains exceptionally busy. Average daily attendance for March was 276, continuing the trend of persistently high attendances this year.

With activity at this level, HSE Mid-West is advising everyone with care needs this weekend to consider all alternative care options, where appropriate care may be accessed without the need to attend the ED.

GP out-of-hours services and local pharmacies may be a more appropriate option to consider instead of attending ED. GPs can also refer patients directly to Medical Assessment Units, which are open seven days a week at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals.

READ MORE: Hospital reveals plans for multi-million euro expansion of clinic in Limerick

Shannondoc and Limerickdoc provide urgent out-of-hours medical services when your GP surgery is closed. They are available from 6pm on Thursday, April 2 to 8am on Tuesday, April 7 at 8am. Shannondoc can be contacted on 0818 123 500 and Limerickdoc on 087 7551570. Visit HSE.ie for more information.

If you are unsure which GP out-of-hours service to contact, please check with your own GP surgery and a voice recording will direct you to your out-of-hours service.

Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can give you advice on minor illnesses and direct you to the most appropriate service. Find contact details for local pharmacies on the HSE website here. Some pharmacy practices in the Mid-West are offering extended opening hours this Easter bank holiday weekend. Call your local pharmacy to check availability and services near you.

Hospitals in the Mid-West have enhanced and expanded local access to urgent care facilities and medical assessment units as alternates to the ED. The injury units and medical assessment units in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals are managing approximately 1,300 patients per week.

Injury Units are open 8am to 8pm every day, including over the bank holiday weekend for walk-in treatment of minor injuries such as breaks, sprains and burns. Patients are typically seen and treated in under two hours. You do not need an appointment to attend an Injury Unit, and if you’re referred by a GP you will not have to pay the €75 fee. If you are unsure where to go, ring any Injury Unit and the expert team can advise you.

St John’s Injury Unit (8am-8pm), Limerick City, 061 462132

Ennis Injury Unit (8am-8pm), 065 686 3121

Nenagh Injury Unit (8am-8pm), 067 42311

Medical Assessment Units are open 16 hours a day, 8am to 12 midnight, seven days a week. They provide a direct referral option for GPs to secure prompt assessment and treatment of medical patients who otherwise might have presented to the ED.

For people who have private healthcare insurance, Laya Healthcare and VHI have walk in Urgent Care Centres in Limerick that treat minor injuries and illnesses. They also offer online doctor consultations and a 24/7 Nurseline. Further details are available on their websites.

The Emergency Department at UHL is open 24/7 for the most acute and life-threatening conditions. With the ED experiencing high attendances in the run-up to the holiday weekend, the HSE are working to maximise patient flow in the acute hospitals and across the healthcare system in the region.