NAS urge public to consider all care options this Bank Holiday Weekend

With the June Bank Holiday weekend approaching, the National Ambulance Service are asking people to consider all care options before presenting at Emergency Departments.

Bank holiday weekends and extended good weather usually bring additional pressure on the hospital system and the National Ambulance Service.

Serious incidents, accidents and injuries can’t always be avoided, but if you require medical treatment over the Bank Holiday weekend, it’s important to know that there are a range of local care options available to you that don’t necessarily involve a trip to the Emergency Department, including your local Injury Unit, GP Out of Hours service or your local Pharmacist.

Health Services are advising the public that there will be large numbers attending Emergency Departments this weekend and they will be prioritising those in need of urgent and emergency care.

This means that patients who attend EDs for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times over the coming weekend. Every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity.

Health staff across hospital and community settings will continue to work together over the weekend to ensure all available beds across the hospital and community are in use.

You can help 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 an ED.

For information on when you should go to the ED visit https://www2.hse.ie/emergencies/the-emergency-department-ed/  or 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 mychild website also has lots of information regarding childhood illness and viruses