There are 11 injury units located in the Republic of Ireland.
Minister for Health Simon Harris has announced that the charge for attending a minor injury unit has been reduced from €100 to €75, with the new rate coming into effect as of today (23 December).
That fee of €75 will apply to non-medical card holders; there is no charge for attending an injury unit for patients with a full medical card or a valid medical/GP referral letter.
There are currently 11 injury units across the country in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Dundalk, Ennis, Mallow, Bantry, Nenagh, Monaghan and Roscommon, all of which have access to x-ray and basic diagnostic services.
Child and adult patients can be treated for a wide range of injuries in the units, such as broken bones, dislocations, sprain and strains, minor burns and scalds.
Injury units are a more practical and faster alternative for many minor injuries than an emergency department, where patients with non-serious and non-life threatening injuries may endure long waiting times.
GPs regularly refer patients to injury units, but patients can walk in and present themselves for treatment in any of the 11 units in the Republic of Ireland. The average time it takes to complete treatment in an injury unit is two hours, although it is even less in some units.
Injury units do not treat children under the age of five, serious head injuries, abdominal (stomach) pain, medical illnesses or mental health problems; a list of treatments can be viewed here.
For children, the new Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) Children’s Urgent Care Centre at Connolly in Blanchardstown provides treatment of minor injury and illness to children, young people and their families in the local area as well as those in Dublin north city and county, surrounding areas in Kildare and Meath, and people from further afield if they so wish.
They treat children with minor injuries such as fractures, sprains, minor burns, small cuts and illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhoea and mild asthma. The urgent care centre is a walk-in service and initial opening hours are 10am to 5pm, Monday – Friday. More information is available here.
More information on injury units in Ireland and opening times is available here.
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