Minister confirms Medical Assessment Unit at Limerick hospital will open seven days-a-week

ST JOHN’S Hospital has secured €1.4 million in funding from the Department of Health to establish a permanent weekend Medical Assessment Unit (MAU).

This significant investment will allow the hospital to expand its services and enhance patient care in the Mid-West.

The unit will operate seven days a week from July 29, providing an additional 2,024 MAU slots annually.

The expansion will contribute to meeting the identified need for 5,000 additional slots across the Mid-West, as recognised by the HSE.

To support the implementation of the weekend MAU, St John’s will employ ten new staff members, including a consultant doctor, two medical registrars, three nursing staff, one senior physiotherapist, one radiographer, one porter, and one clerical officer. These positions will help ensure the smooth operation of the unit and facilitate the provision of high-quality healthcare services.

Limerick hospital unveils state-of-the-art facilities to help 'significantly reduce waiting times'

The UL Hospitals Group, of which St John’s is a part, serves a population of 385,172 individuals residing in Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary.

The expansion of the MAU will help meet the healthcare needs of this substantial population, providing them with improved access to medical assessment and reducing the strain on existing services.

One notable aspect of the St. John’s Hospital MAU is its availability of advanced diagnostic facilities during weekends. It will be the only Model 2 MAU within the UL Hospitals Group to offer access to a full CT scan service on weekends, in addition to full X-ray capabilities.

The announcement of the funding was marked by the presence of Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, who visited St John’s Hospital. He said that this expansion would “help to reduce waiting times across the Mid-West region.”

Emer Martin, CEO of St John’s Hospital, expressed her delight at the announcement: “We hope that the opening of this unit at the weekends will help alleviate capacity concerns and offer the people of the Mid-West a quality service for their healthcare needs.”