As we head into the Bank Holiday weekend, the HSE is asking you to consider all care options before presenting at a hospital Emergency Department.
St Luke’s General for Carlow and Kilkenny has been particularly busy again this week with 20 patients waiting on a bed yesterday morning, most of them at the local ED.
That facility will continue to prioritse those in need of emergency care, but all others are asked to follow the guide below:
For information on when you should go to the ED visit here
You can get advice on a number of illnesses that can be treated at home here
The HSE’s website also has lots of information on children’s illnesses, see here
The HSE’s partners in Caredoc out of hours GP co-operative are also open 24 hours on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays. Caredoc can be contacted on (0818) 300 365 or (059) 913 8100 with more information here
Many local pharmacies will also be open on particular days to help with minor illnesses. Find out more about the services offered by your local pharmacy here
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.
