Reminder of Mullingar hospital injury unit ahead of bank holiday weekend

Now the June bank holiday weekend is here, management at the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar are reminding the public of their Minor Injury Unit at Charter Medical Private Hospital, Ballinderry, Mullingar.

People from Mullingar and surrounding areas over the age of 16 can attend the unit.

It is open Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm; closed on bank holiday Monday, and open as usual from Tuesday, 8am to 6pm.

A spokesperson for Regional Hospital Mullingar said: “We expect the ED in Mullingar to be busy over the weekend, and our injury unit represents an opportunity to the public to avoid unnecessary long visits to the ED. Plus, they’ll be treated quicker there, and free up staff in the ED.”

There are to benefits to attending an injury unit over an emergency department, the HSE say:

• Patients who attend over the weekend will be charged a fee of €75, less than an ED.

• There is no charge for patients who have Medical Cards or who referral letters from either their general practice or from the ED.

• Waiting times for patients who attend injury units are significantly less than those who may have to wait in busy emergency departments – the average time to be seen and discharged in an Injury Unit is under two hours.

Injury units treat the following:

• Suspected broken bones to arm (from collar bone to fingertip)

• Suspected broken bones in legs (from knees to toes)

• Sprains and strains

• Wounds, bites (animal or insect) cuts, grazes and scalp laceration

• Minor burns and scalds

• Minor chest injuries

As always if you require urgent care, please ring 999/112 or attend your closest ED as soon as possible.