16 March 2025
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie

Where to go for urgent healthcare: There are options apart from A&E!

File photo of Cork University Hospital

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.

Dr Andy Phillips, Regional Executive Officer of HSE South West said:

“St Patrick’s Bank holiday weekend is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with friends and family. Our highly committed HSE staff will be working hard over the bank holiday. If you do need urgent care, there are a range of local options available to you and your family. Our Emergency Departments will be very busy looking after the most seriously ill people in our communities. Please help us to provide everyone with excellent care by taking a moment to consider all your options for care that can be provided quickly, close to your home, before attending the ED.”

Options for non-emergency healthcare include:

• Self-care – Have a well-stocked medicine cabinet to help with common ailments
• Your local pharmacist: www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/pharmacy/
• Your GP (check routine prescriptions ahead of the bank holiday weekend – because GP’s tend to be closed at weekends)
• South Doc, the GP Out-of-Hours service on 0818 355 999
• Injury units – full list on hse.ie/injuryunits

Carole Croke, Hospital Manager, Bantry General Hospital said:

“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.”

Cllr Dr John Sheehan, HSE GP Lead Network 8 (Central Cork/Mayfield/Montenotte/Tivoli/The Glen/Blackpool/St Patricks Carrignavar) said:

“Bank holiday weekends put additional pressure on our Emergency Departments in Cork. The sickest people will be seen first, so please stop and ask yourself: Do I really need to attend the ED? Our Emergency Department cares for those who are seriously ill or injured, so please consider alternative care pathways where possible. Your local pharmacy, GP, Southdoc or Injury Unit are convenient options if you have a minor ailment or injury.”

Claire Crowley, General Manager, Mallow General Hospital:

“Mallow General Hospital is a Model 2 acute healthcare facility, ideally suited for those needing in-patient care that is not life-threatening. The teams at other Cork hospitals may decide to transfer you to us, in order to keep beds available for those who require high dependency care. Hopefully, you won’t need emergency care this weekend but patients presenting to Cork Emergency Departments should be aware that they may be transferred here, where we will take excellent care of you during your stay.”