Thousands of Limerick patients seen within two hours at local injury units

PATIENTS across the Mid-West are being treated in local injury units in less than two hours, new HSE figures have shown.

Last year, there was an increase of 6.9% in the number of people who attended the local injury units in St John’s Hospital, Ennis and Nenagh for minor injuries.

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As numbers at the Emergency Department in University Hospital Limerick continue to soar, the new HSE figures show more than 53,000 patients  used the injury clinics during 2025. 

The injury units in the three hospitals are open from 8am until 8pm seven days a week, including bank holidays and minor injuries such as breaks, sprains and burns can be treated there. 

No appointments are needed and if there is a GP referral, the €75 fee is waived. 

UHL continues to experience high ED attendances, with a daily average of 280 in the year to date. 

Dr Joe Kelly, consultant in emergency medicine at University Hospital Limerick and St John’s Hospital injury unit, explained: “You can avoid long waits in the Emergency Department (ED) by attending our injury units. If you have an injury that is not life-threatening, our expert team can treat you quickly and efficiently, and most people are treated and home in under two hours.”

There are also registered advanced nurse practitioners in the local injury units who can lead a patient’s care from admission through to discharge. 

The units can be contacted via - St John’s injury unit, Limerick on 061 462132, Ennis on 065 686 3121 and Nenagh on 067 42311.