(June 1st 2023) Ahead of the June Bank Holiday Weekend, Tallaght University Hospital and Dublin South, Kildare & West Wicklow Community Healthcare wants to remind the public of their treatment options before attending the Emergency Department (ED) at the hospital. There are a range of care pathways available to patients who do not need emergency care including:
- Visit your pharmacy for advice on common minor illnesses. Find out more here https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/pharmacy/
- Make an appointment with your GP if you’re feeling unwell and it is not an emergency
- If you urgently need to see a GP outside of normal hours, contact your local GP Out of Hours service, details below
- An Injury Unit can treat a wide range of injuries such as broken bones, dislocations, sprains and strains, minor burns and scalds. All units have access to x-ray and basic diagnostic services. For more information see www.hse.ie/injuryunits.
- Emergency Departments treat seriously ill patients. Visit an ED or call 999 or 112 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. Those with less severe injuries and symptoms may have to wait for long periods to be seen in Emergency Departments
Lucy Nugent CEO of Tallaght University Hospital advised: “Similar to many Emergency Departments across the country, our Emergency Department is extremely busy with high numbers of patients attending, many presenting with complex needs requiring admission. You can help our staff at this busy time by considering other options for non-emergency care such as Injury Units, Out of Hours GP and pharmacies before attending the Emergency Department. This is in order to protect our ED for patients who need urgent and emergency care.
Patients who present at the Emergency Department in Tallaght University Hospital with non-urgent conditions may unfortunately experience long wait times to be seen. Any patient who needs emergency hospital care will be seen and we would urge such patients not to delay attending the ED. Do not delay in seeking medical attention if you suspect you are having a heart attack or stroke, please dial 999 or 112 in an emergency.”
With temperatures expected to reach over 20 degrees celsius over the bank holiday weekend, we are reminding people to be “Summer Ready”. Protecting yourself from the harmful effects of the sun, including sunburn, dehydration and skin cancer is also important at this time of year. The HSE’s #SunSmart campaign aims to increase awareness of the steps you and your family can take to protect your skin from the sun and reduce your risk of skin cancer using five simple steps:
- Slip on clothing that covers your skin e.g. long sleeves and collared T-shirts
- Slop on sunscreen on exposed areas using factor 50+ for children
- Slap on a wide brimmed hat
- Seek shade – especially if outdoors between 11am and 3pm
- Slide on sunglasses to protect your eyes
Urging people to remain #SunSmart this weekend, Dr. Christopher Carroll (Specialist in Public Health Medicine, HSE’s Public Health Area B) offers the following advice. “We are starting to experience warmer weather and we may see forecasts predicting further hot and sunny conditions. The general advice from the HSE for such circumstances is for people to stay hydrated, keep cool and to keep a close check on those who may be particularly vulnerable – including babies and the elderly. In addition, one of the messages of the HSE’s annual #SunSmart information campaign is that sunscreen is an important sun protection measure but should not be used as the only line of defence. It should be used alongside other protective measures such as clothing and shade. Up to date weather forecasts and warnings are available on www.met.ie”
“So, whether you are spending time outside in the garden, enjoying a barbecue or are attending outdoor events, follow the five #SunSmart simple steps to learn how to protect yourself and your family this summer. See www.SunSmart.ie and check out #SunSmart on social media.”
Information on how to manage common illness and advice on when to get emergency help is also available at https://www2.hse.ie/living-well/ and https://www2.hse.ie/my-child/ in relation to children. The Be Summer Ready website (www.gov.ie/summerready) also offers practical, simple guidance on keeping safe over the Summer coming months.
Out of Hours Urgent GP Services
DUBDOC provides out-of-hours urgent GP Services in Dublin 2, 8, 10, 12, 20, parts of D6 and West Co. Dublin. Patients can contact the service by calling 01 454 5607.
The TLCDOC GP Out of Hours Service is an urgent out of hours family doctor service operating in the Dublin South West Area. TLC Doc is located Unit H2 Carbury Building, Tallaght Cross West, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Eircode D24FKT7.
Contact with the service can only be made by dialling the 1890 20 22 24 number. The service is available to patients of GP’s participating in the TLCDOC Out of Hours Service. If, on contacting the service, you need to be seen by a doctor, you will be given an appointment time. The service should only be used for urgent cases that cannot wait for the next routine surgery appointment.
Injury Units
Injury units can treat broken bones, dislocations, sprains, strains, wounds, scalds, and minor burns.
Your local injury unit | Availability | Contact |
Urgent Care Centre, Children’s Health Ireland at Connolly Hospital, D15 | 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 5pm weekends and bank holidays. Children up to eve of 16th birthday | 01 640 7500 |
Mater Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic, D7 | 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday. Age 16 and older | 01 657 9000 or 01 657 9022 |
St. Colmcille's Injury Unit, Loughlinstown | 8am to 6pm, 7 days. Age 14 and older | 01 211 5048 |
ENDS/
Editors Notes
Find more information regarding the HSE’s Sun Smart campaign here - https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/cancer/prevention/skin-cancer-prevention-sunsmart.html
Pharmacies
Community Pharmacies
You can visit your local pharmacy if you feel unwell. Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals.
They can give you:
- medicines you can buy without a prescription
- medicines you have a prescription for
- advice on minor illnesses, and can tell you if you need to see a GP
- They can also tell you how to take your medicines correctly.
Find a pharmacy Find contact details for your local pharmacy
Visiting the pharmacy
Many pharmacies are open late and on weekends.
Do not visit your pharmacy if you have:
- a temperature over 38 degrees Celsius
- a cough
- breathlessness
- loss or change to sense of smell or taste
- travelled abroad and are self-isolating
- been a close contact of someone with COVID-19
Ask someone to collect your medicines for you. Some pharmacies will deliver medicines to your home.
Services available in your local pharmacy include:
- prescriptions and repeat prescriptions
- medicines and treatments that you don't need a prescription for
- help with taking medicines correctly
- flu vaccine
- COVID-19 vaccine
- morning after pill
- blood pressure check-up
- Vaccines
- Many pharmacists are now giving COVID-19 vaccines. You have to call them to make an appointment.
Medicines without a prescription
Pharmacists can give you treatments for common conditions without a prescription, such as:
- Colds
- pain relief
- temperatures
- hay fever
- rashes
- warts
Schemes
There are some HSE schemes that can help with pharmacy costs:
