MORE than 19,000 patients avoided unnecessary long waits at the busy University Hospital Limerick emergency department throughout all of last year by attending the injuries unit at St John’s Hospital in Limerick City.
St John’s was the busiest of the three Mid West injury units at St John’s, Ennis, and Nenagh hospitals, treating 19,309 patients in 2025 out of 53,489 patients across the three sites, according to official HSE figures.
Of those St John’s patients, 18,137 were new presentations and the rest were reviews of patient conditions.
Across the three hospitals, 50,423 were new patients, and 3,066 reviews. This was 6.9 per cent greater than the regional attendance total for 2024. The total of new patients attending the units increased at a similar rate (6.6 per cent).
- External Walls: Up to €8,000 Grant
- Attic: Up to €1,500 Grant
- Cavity Walls: Up to €1,700 Grant
- Internal Dry Lining: Up to €4,500 Grant
Ennis saw 18,573 patients, while Nenagh treated 15,607.
Currently, more than one in three of all unscheduled care patients attending HSE acute hospitals across the region are seen in one of the three injury units.
Injury units, open 8am-8pm seven days a week (including bank holidays), are the place to go, according to HSE advice, instead of the emergency department if a person needs urgent treatment for minor injuries such as breaks, sprains, and burns.
HSE Mid West says that “patients are typically seen and treated in under two hours, with follow-up reviews in the unit arranged as required”.
Appointments are not needed and patients with a GP referral or medical card will not have to pay the €75 fee. The St John’s injury unit can be reached on 061 462 132 for any queries.