Injury units across Midwest treated more than 50,000 people last year

But University Hospital Limerick's emergency department remains under severe pressure, HSE figures show

Mhairi Barron, advanced nurse practitioner at the injury unit in Ennis Hospital: “We deliver rapid, efficient, high-level care with good outcomes for minor injuries. File picture

So-called 'injury units' across Midwest counties treated more than 50,000 people last year — one in three emergency patients locally.

However, the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) emergency department remains under severe pressure, new HSE figures show.

So far this year, the busy emergency department has seen a daily average of 280 patients as flu and icy conditions continue. 

This follows a busy December, when it saw 350 patients on just one day.

Injury units at Nenagh, Ennis, and St John’s hospitals offer an alternative to the emergency department for minor injuries. 

Last year, they saw 6.9% more patients compared to 2024.

This came to 53,489 minor injuries treated, including 50,423 new patients and 3,066 reviews.

“More than one in three of all unscheduled care patients attending HSE acute hospitals across the region are seen in one of our injury units,” HSE Midwest said.

However, despite this, the emergency department in Limerick continues to see an extremely high number of patients compared to many other hospitals.

The spokesman said it saw “a daily average of 280 in the year to date” and added “many” could have gone to an injury unit instead.

Irish Patient Association chair Stephen McMahon said he cautiously welcomed the data. 

The injury units are heavily used and operating at scale, diverting one in three urgent care contacts and doing exactly what they were designed to do. But they cannot solve a bed capacity problem. Patients who need admission to hospital cannot be redirected elsewhere.

He attended an Emergency Department Taskforce meeting on Friday, a national group including HSE, health unions, the Department of Health, and others.

“Hospital admissions at UHL rose by 5.7% in 2025, an additional 1,615 patients needing beds,” he said.

“Among patients aged 75 and over, admissions surged by 18.2%, accounting for 1,284 of that increase. 

This, not people attending the wrong service, is driving continued emergency department pressure.” 

Dr Joe Kelly, emergency medicine consultant at UHL and the St John’s unit, advised patients to consider the units as a way to "avoid long waits" in the emergency department. 

Dr Joe Kelly, consultant in emergency medicine at University Hospital Limerick and St John’s Hospital Injury Unit.

"If you have an injury that is not life-threatening, our expert team can treat you quickly and efficiently, and most people are treated and home in under two hours," he said. 

The units are also staffed by senior specialist nurses, including Mhairi Barron at Ennis. 

She described how the registered advanced nurse practitioners can see any patient who fits the unit criteria.

“It’s this skills mix that ensures timely, efficient care for minor injuries; rapid, efficient, high-level care with good outcomes,” she said.

All-Ireland-winning Tipperary senior hurler Craig Morgan attended the Nenagh unit after injuring his hand in a game.

“The expert staff are kind, helpful, and they understand sporting injuries and the frustration that can come with them," he said. 

Appointments are not needed. There is a €75 fee, but anyone referred by a GP does not have to pay.