Nenagh emergency centre to close

Emergency treatment of patients at Nenagh General Hospital is to end later this month, the Health Service Executive has said.

Patients from the area will now be assessed and treated at the emergency department of the Mid-West Regional Hospital in Limerick.

From September 17th, a local injuries unit will operate in Nenagh from 8am to 8pm. This will deal with adults and children over five years with cases such as broken bones, soft tissue injuries and wounds.

Nenagh lost its 24-hour emergency department in April 2009, when it was changed to a 12-hour local emergency centre.

The HSE Mid-West said the change is in line with the National Emergency Medicine Programme and will allow the centralisation of emergency care for the sickest patients in the region to Limerick.

Henceforth, 999 calls in the region will go straight to Limerick.

Nenagh will continue to admit GP referred medical patients with an accompanying letter, with less critical conditions for assessment and treatment in the Medical Assessment Unit. It will also handle follow-on care for patients returning from Limerick.

The existing Local Emergency Centre had been treating 8,000 cases a year.

Staff, patient groups, GPs and public representatives are being briefed on the development.