As Dublin hospitals face long waiting times in their A&E departments, patients with non-urgent conditions are being advised to attend injury clinics.
Two Dublin hospitals have urged the public to avoid their A&Es as services are under "extreme pressure".
The Mater Hospital said they currently have a high number of presentations at their emergency department leading to lengthy wait times for patients with non-urgent conditions.
Read more: Dublin hospital services under 'extreme pressure' as public told to avoid A&E
In a statement on Twitter, a spokesperson said: "Where possible, the Mater advises patients with non-emergency conditions to seek assistance from other parts of the health service such as minor injury units or their GP."
Similarly, Tallaght University Hospital is also asking the public to avoid their emergency department due to "high attendances of very sick people with a variety of illnesses".
Here is a list of walk-in medical centres in Dublin that are accepting patients with minor or non-urgent conditions:
Mater Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic
The Mater Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic is located at The Forge, Smithfield Market, in Dublin 7.
The clinic and its staff can access all of the Mater Hospital’s services. When you arrive at the clinic, you will be registered and then seen by an advanced nurse practitioner or a doctor. You may be referred for X-rays if necessary.
The clinic does not have access to non-urgent scanning including MRI/CT/US or non-urgent outpatient appointments.
The service is free of charge to patients who present with a valid medical card or GP referral letter and €100 for non-medical card holders.
The clinic treats:
- Suspected broken bones
- Sprains and strains
- Minor burns and scalds
- Wounds and bites (animal or insects) cuts, grazes and scalp lacerations
- Foreign bodies
- Minor chest injuries
- Minor head injuries (fully conscious patients who did not experience loss of consciousness or vomit after the head injury).
The clinic's opening hours are:
Monday - Friday: 8am - 6pm
Saturday - Sunday: 10am - 6pm (closed on bank holiday Mondays)
Note: Last Registration at 5:30pm.
For more information visit their website here
St. Columcille's Injury Unit Loughlinstown
Located in St Columcille's Hospital in Loughlinstown, the Injury Unit is open 7 days a week from 8am to 6pm.
The clinic treats acute injuries such as:
- Suspected broken bones to legs (from knees to toes)
- Suspected broken bones to arms (from collar bone to finger tips)
- Sprains and strains
- Minor facial injuries (including oral and nasal injuries)
- Minor scalds and burns
- Wounds, bites, cuts, grazes and scalp wounds
- Abscesses
- Splinters
- Foreign bodies in eyes, ears or nose
- Head injury/suspected concussion (fully conscious patients, who did not experience loss of consciousness or vomit after the head injury)
Patients may self refer to the Injury Unit, be referred by a GP or an Out of Hours GP service.
Contact number: 01 2115279
Urgent Care Centre Blanchardstown Children's Hospital
The walk-in urgent care clinic is located at Blanchardstown Children's Hospital.
It is open from 9am to 5pm Monday-Friday, and 10am to 5pm Saturday-Sunday.
The clinic treats:
- Sprains, strains and broken bones
- Minor burns and scalds
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
- Fever/temperature in babies older than 12 weeks
- Small cuts and injuries
- Mild asthma
For more information on this clinic click on its website here
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Read more: Tallaght Hospital A&E average waits of 21 hours slammed as 'unacceptable'
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