HSE South West is reminding everyone in Cork to consider all urgent care options over the St Patrick's Bank Holiday weekend.
A wide range of health services will be available for those who need them this weekend, including pharmacies, out-of-hours gp services, injury units and emergency departments.
Emergency departments are often busier around bank holiday weekends. All patients will be seen and treated, with the most urgent patients being prioritised. This means that patients with non-urgent injuries may face longer waiting times and these patients may get the treatment they need faster at an Injury Unit.
Injury units treat injuries that are not life-threatening, such as broken bones, dislocations, sprains, wounds, scalds and minor burns. This weekend, the following injury units will be available in Cork city and county:
The Mercy Injury Unit Gurranabraher at St Mary’s Health Campus Gurranabraher, open 8am to 6pm and available to those aged 10 and older
The Mallow Injury Unit, open 8am to 8pm, and available to those aged five and older
Bantry Injury Unit, open 8am to 8pm, and available to those aged five and older
In addition, the Irish Life Health expresscare clinic is available to treat minor injuries on the same terms as the HSE injury units. It is open from 10am to 8pm for those aged 12 months and over.
Patients who are admitted to Cork hospitals via emergency departments should also be aware that they might be transferred to a HSE South West acute setting which best meets their needs – eg a move from CUH/MUH to Mallow General Hospital.
Carole Croke, hospital manager at Bantry General Hospital, said that in a genuine emergency, do not delay and either go to the ED, or dial 999/112. ‘However, for injuries which are not life-threatening, such as broken bones, dislocations, sprains, wounds, scalds and minor burns, you might get faster access to care at an injury unit. Injury units are open across Cork this weekend, including our injury unit right here in Bantry, which will be open 8am to 8pm and available to those aged five and older.’
