HSE Dublin and South East encourages public to consider all care options this Bank Holiday weekend

HSE Dublin and South East is advising people in Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary South, Waterford and Wexford, Wicklow and South Dublin to be aware of their healthcare options this Bank Holiday weekend.

If you do get sick this bank holiday weekend there are a number of healthcare options available; plan ahead, know your options and stay safe. The month of January has been extremely busy across health services in HSE Dublin and South East, with continued high levels of attendance at emergency departments and sustained demand for inpatient care.

Dr Vida Hamiliton, Regional Clinical Director, HSE Dublin and South East, outlined: “We have seen significant pressure on our hospitals in HSE Dublin and South East in January, with high numbers of patients requiring care across emergency, medical and surgical services. Our staff are working exceptionally hard to meet this demand and we are doing everything we can to minimise delays in patient care.

“Our emergency departments tend to busier at bank holiday weekends than at other times of the year. We are asking people to choose the right care in the right place over the Bank Holiday. This helps to ensure that emergency departments can focus on those who are most unwell.

“We continue to monitor service pressures closely and are working to support patient flow, including timely discharge planning and the use of community supports where appropriate.”

If you urgently need to see a GP over the Bank Holiday weekend you should contact your local out of hours GP service. The out of hours GP service in this region is CareDoc. The service is open all weekend but you do need to make an appointment in advance. GP Out of Hours information is available on the HSE website here

You can also access a range of support and advice at your local pharmacy.

HSE National Ambulance Service (NAS) has advised that Bank Holiday weekends also see an increase in call outs and are urging the public to consider all care pathways in advance of contacting them. Please dial 112 or 999 for emergency care if there is concern for serious illness or injury.