The HSE is urging the public to consider all care options this Christmas and New Year period and is asking people to consider other methods of care including their GPs, pharmacists and Caredoc out of hours services before presenting at Emergency Departments (EDs).
As always, people who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised. When there is a large volume of ED attendances, patients are prioritised in terms of clinical need and wait times for non-urgent care can be lengthy.
Integrated Healthcare Manager for Waterford/Wexford in the HSE’s Dublin and South East health region Sinéad Reynolds says:
“Patient safety is at the forefront of everything the HSE does. People across counties Waterford and Wexford, however, can help HSE staff at a busy time such as this Christmas and New Year period by remembering when care is needed and to consider all the options for non-emergency care – such as Injury Units, Out of Hours GP (Caredoc) and pharmacies before attending an ED.”
For information on when you should go to the ED visit https://www2.hse.ie/emergencies/the-emergency-department-ed/. You can get advice on a number of illnesses that can be treated at home at https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/common-illnesses/. The HSE’s https://www2.hse.ie/my-child/ website also has lots of information on children’s illnesses, see https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/colds-coughs-children/.
The HSE’s partners in Caredoc out of hours GP co-operative are available from 6pm on Monday 23rd of December through to 9am on Friday 27th of December and again from 1pm on Tuesday 31st of December (2024) through to 9am on Thursday 2nd of January (2025). Caredoc can be contacted on (0818) 300 365 or (059) 913 8100. See www.Caredoc.ie
Many local pharmacies may be open on particular days too, to help with minor illnesses. Find out more about the services offered by your local pharmacy here: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/pharmacy/
As with any time of year, it’s also important to look after your mental health, in addition to physical health. If anyone has any concerns in relation to their mental health, there are a number of resources supported by the HSE that you can turn to. There’s a free text service on 50808 and it’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is a safe space to share anonymously, where trained volunteers will engage with you. You can also check out www.YourMentalHealth.ie or Freephone our information line on (1800) 111 888 any time, day or night.
The HSE wishes everyone a happy, healthy and safe Christmas and New Year.
Last updated on: 20 / 12 / 2024
