15th March 2024
Press Release on behalf of Regional Hospital Mullingar
Regional Hospital Mullingar are today announcing the extended opening hours of Mullingar Minor Injury Unit located at Charter Medical Private Hospital Ballinderry.
People from Mullingar and beyond from the age of 16 and over will now be able to access the Minor Injury Unit on Monday to Friday 8 am to 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm and Bank Holidays 10am to 6pm. There is no charge for patients who have Medical Card or who have a referral letter from their General Practice, Out of Hours Service or from the ED. People can walk-in to this public service for a fee of €75, which is less than the €100.00 fee charged if they were to attend an Emergency Department.
Waiting times for patients who attend Injury Units are significantly less than those who may have to wait in busy Emergency Departments while more acutely ill patients are triaged as a priority. The average time to be seen and discharged in an Injury Unit is under two hours.
Patients who experience an injury and who should attend an Injury Unit are as follows:
- Broken bones, sprains and strains, from knees to toes
- Broken bones, sprains and strains, from collarbone to fingertips
- Minor facial injuries (including oral, dental and nasal injuries)
- Minor scalds and burns
- Wounds, bites, cuts, grazes and scalp lacerations (cuts)
- Small abscesses and boils
- Splinters and fish hooks
- Objects stuck in eyes, ears or nose
- Minor head injuries (Fully conscious patients, who did not have a loss of consciousness or vomit after the head injury.)
The Mullingar Minor Injury Unit also provides full imaging and x-ray facilities in order for patients to be fully diagnosed and treated onsite.
Kay Slevin, Hospital Manager Mullingar Hospital said, “We are delighted to extend the opening hours of Mullingar Minor Injuries Unit ahead of the busy bank holiday weekends that are approaching. People in Mullingar and indeed Westmeath and really benefiting from this service, which ensures they can be seen and treated outside of the busy ED environment.
We expect our ED to be busy over St Patrick’s Day and Easter Bank Holiday so it is very welcome to be able to provide this service and help to alleviate some of the pressures on the Emergency Services. The Minor Injury Unit is a walk-in service with no referral necessary and full diagnostics are available on site. The development of an Injury Unit has also benefitted our excellent and committed Emergency Department staff who continue to provide a valued emergency service to our patients,” added Ms Slevin.
