Information on how to access best healthcare this winter

To help the public throughout the communities of the Mid-West get Winter-ready and stay well, UL Hospitals Group and HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare have jointly published a handy leaflet, packed with information about illnesses, treatments, and helpful pointers and contact information.

The A5 leaflet, which is being distributed across the Mid-West though local media and other platforms, clearly guides people to the most appropriate source of healthcare, for their needs, starting at home, branching out to their local pharmacies and family doctors, and beyond to the services offered by UL Hospitals Group. The leaflet is also available to download on the publications section of our website, www.ulh.ie

The process starts at home, with self-treatment of everyday illnesses, most of which—including colds, coughs, and sore throats—do not even require an antibiotic. The HSE’s Under The Weather webpage, www.undertheweather.ie can help you find out what you can do to help yourself and others at home to treat such illnesses.

Local pharmacists are another vital resource within the community, with their advice and remedies for aches, pains, the common cold, and a range of other less complex conditions. However, the best help, advice and treatment can often be found at your family GP or the out-of-hours GP service Shannondoc.

If you’re suffering from minor injuries such as broken bones, dislocations, sprains, strains, wounds, scalds or minor burns, you will be seen much more quickly at the Local Injury Units in St John’s, Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals than you will in the Emergency Department, and you will also be much less likely to require admission to hospital.

The Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick treats seriously ill patients, and we are asking patients to consider all of the above treatment options before going to the ED. However if you are concerned that your life may be at risk, you should still come to the ED. Those who are seriously ill will be prioritised for treatment and people with less severe symptoms may face lengthy waits in ED. 

Also on the leaflet is a section for important contact numbers, which you should keep for reference. There you will be able to add your own GP’s number to a list of contacts for Shannondoc out-of-hours GP services, Local Injury Units, emotional support services for those feeling emotionally distressed, and the emergency services, as well as the Emergency Department at UHL.