Minor Injuries Unit set to open in Mayo next week
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill visits Ballina ahead of opening of new service at Mercy Road
A new Minor Injuries Unit is set to open next week in Ballina, marking a significant addition to healthcare services for the town and the wider Mayo community.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill visited Ballina District Hospital to get a preview of the new Mayo Minor Injuries Unit, which is located on Mercy Road beside the hospital.
The unit will initially open on a phased basis, with its operating hours and days extended over the coming weeks until it reaches a schedule of 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
It will treat a range of minor injuries, including breaks, sprains, strains, cuts, burns and soft tissue injuries. The service will operate on a GP and self-referral basis.
Minister Dara Calleary said the unit represented an important development for healthcare in Ballina and across Mayo.
He said he first raised the possibility of establishing a Minor Injuries Unit in Ballina with then Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in 2022. Ring-fenced funding was subsequently secured as part of Budget 2025 in October 2024, followed by ongoing engagement with the Department of Health and the HSE.
Mr Calleary said he was delighted to see the project nearing completion, describing it as an election commitment he had made in 2024.
“It was fantastic to get a preview of the very impressive Mayo Local Injury Unit, a game changing development in healthcare for Ballina and the wider Mayo community,” he said.
He said the new service had the potential to ease pressure on the Emergency Department at Mayo University Hospital while providing people with more accessible treatment closer to home.
The unit will have a staff of 25, and Minister Calleary wished the team every success as it prepares to begin providing care.
Senator Mark Duffy also welcomed the opening, thanking Minister Carroll MacNeill and the HSE team for helping bring the project to this stage.
He said the service would be a valuable addition to healthcare provision in Mayo.
The opening of the Mayo Minor Injuries Unit is expected to benefit patients in Ballina and surrounding areas by providing an additional option for people requiring treatment for a range of non-life-threatening injuries.