Extra consultants and care units activated to ease pressure on Limerick ED over bank holiday weekend

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

Additional staff are rostered across hospital and community services to help ensure patient access across the weekend, with HSE Mid-West focused on integrated hospital/community healthcare initiatives at every step of the patient journey.

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

Additional consultants are on duty in UHL and in response to high ED attendances, they have enhanced and expanded local patient access to Urgent Care facilities and Medical Assessments Units as an alternate pathway to ED. The Injury Units and GP-referral Medical Assessment Units in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals are managing an average of approximately 1,200 patients per week.

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Injury Units operate 8am to 8pm, all year, 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.

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

In the community, in support of access and patient care, Community Intervention Team services will operate from 8am to 8pm daily. Planned Essential Weekend Nursing Services provide support to patients discharged prior to the weekend and to those who require clinical interventions. Shannondoc Out of Hours GP Services (contact 0818-123500 or 061-459500) will operate for the duration of the bank holiday weekend, from 6pm on Thursday, April 17 until 8am on Tuesday, April 22.

Essential Aids & Appliances equipment will be available to patients discharged from hospital.

The Community Paramedic is rostered for Friday, Saturday and Monday over the Easter bank holiday weekend.