Hospitals and Emergencies
In an emergency Hospitals phone 999 or 112
Hospital emergency services will treat serious sudden and unexpected illness or injury only. You should go to your GP for all other treatment. In an emergency situation, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the ambulance service. These numbers can also be used for fire brigade, Garda (police), lifeboat, coastal and mountain rescue emergencies. Some hospitals provide emergency service 24-hours a day, seven days a week. In a medical emergency, you can go directly to the Emergency department at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick (also called A&E – Accident & Emergency) without an appointment.
If you go to A&E in a hospital and hospital staff decides your condition is not an emergency, you may have to wait a number of hours in the ‘casualty’ section of the hospital before you are treated. You will then either be treated and sent home or admitted to a ward as an inpatient.
Public and private hospitals
Limerick has a range of public and private hospitals that provide services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. See list on the opposite page. Patients should not visit a hospital without an appointment, except in an emergency. Your GP arranges hospital appointments for scheduled operations or illness treatments. There are waiting lists for non-emergency services in many areas. Acute hospitals in Ireland diagnose, treat and care for seriously ill or injured patients. Small local hospitals may not be able to cater for all illnesses and treatments and you may have to be transferred to a larger hospital or to a specialist hospital. Everyone living in the country and certain visitors to Ireland are entitled to free maintenance and treatment in public beds in Health Service Executive and ‘voluntary’ hospitals. You must show that you intend to stay in Ireland for at least one year. You can do this by, for example, showing your work permit, registration card or rent agreement. Some people may have to pay some hospital charges.
Hospitals in Limerick
(061) 301 111
Dooradoyle, Limerick
(061) 301 111
(061) 327 455
(061) 397 276
Emergency opening hours
The Emergency Department at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick, is open 24 hours a day.
In an emergency dial 999 or 112
What do hospitals charge?
If you wish to attend hospital as a private patient you will have to pay the appropriate fee. If you go to outpatients or A&E without a referral from your GP, you may be charged a fee (set at €100, as from January 2009). The fee does not apply to certain groups including:
What do inpatients pay?
There is a charge for inpatient (staying in a ward overnight) and day services (admitted to hospital under the care of a consultant, but not staying overnight) in public hospitals. However, no one has to pay more than a certain amount for inpatient or day services in any one year. The charge does not apply to certain groups including:
How much do private beds cost?
If you are being treated as a private patient and staying in a private bed in a public or voluntary hospital, you will have to pay a charge on top of that paid for the public hospital inpatient charge. You will also have to pay for the services of your consultant as a private patient.
In an emergency Hospitals phone 999 or 112
Hospital emergency services will treat serious sudden and unexpected illness or injury only. You should go to your GP for all other treatment. In an emergency situation, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the ambulance service. These numbers can also be used for fire brigade, Garda (police), lifeboat, coastal and mountain rescue emergencies. Some hospitals provide emergency service 24-hours a day, seven days a week. In a medical emergency, you can go directly to the Emergency department at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick (also called A&E – Accident & Emergency) without an appointment.
If you go to A&E in a hospital and hospital staff decides your condition is not an emergency, you may have to wait a number of hours in the ‘casualty’ section of the hospital before you are treated. You will then either be treated and sent home or admitted to a ward as an inpatient.
Public and private hospitals
Limerick has a range of public and private hospitals that provide services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. See list on the opposite page. Patients should not visit a hospital without an appointment, except in an emergency. Your GP arranges hospital appointments for scheduled operations or illness treatments. There are waiting lists for non-emergency services in many areas. Acute hospitals in Ireland diagnose, treat and care for seriously ill or injured patients. Small local hospitals may not be able to cater for all illnesses and treatments and you may have to be transferred to a larger hospital or to a specialist hospital. Everyone living in the country and certain visitors to Ireland are entitled to free maintenance and treatment in public beds in Health Service Executive and ‘voluntary’ hospitals. You must show that you intend to stay in Ireland for at least one year. You can do this by, for example, showing your work permit, registration card or rent agreement. Some people may have to pay some hospital charges.
Hospitals in Limerick
- Mid-Western Regional Hospital
(061) 301 111
- Regional children’s hospital
Dooradoyle, Limerick
(061) 301 111
- Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital
(061) 327 455
- Mid-Western Regional Orthopedic Hospital
(061) 397 276
Emergency opening hours
The Emergency Department at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick, is open 24 hours a day.
In an emergency dial 999 or 112
What do hospitals charge?
If you wish to attend hospital as a private patient you will have to pay the appropriate fee. If you go to outpatients or A&E without a referral from your GP, you may be charged a fee (set at €100, as from January 2009). The fee does not apply to certain groups including:
- medical card holders;
- people admitted into hospital following attendance at A&E – you will then be charged as an inpatient;
- babies up to six weeks of age, children suffering from prescribed diseases and disabilities, and children referred from child health clinics or school health examinations;
- people who are entitled to hospital services through EU regulations; and
- women receiving maternity services.
What do inpatients pay?
There is a charge for inpatient (staying in a ward overnight) and day services (admitted to hospital under the care of a consultant, but not staying overnight) in public hospitals. However, no one has to pay more than a certain amount for inpatient or day services in any one year. The charge does not apply to certain groups including:
- medical card holders;
- children up to six weeks of age, children suffering from prescribed diseases and disabilities, and children referred from child health clinics or school health examinations;
- people who are entitled to hospital services through EU regulations; and
- women receiving maternity services.
How much do private beds cost?
If you are being treated as a private patient and staying in a private bed in a public or voluntary hospital, you will have to pay a charge on top of that paid for the public hospital inpatient charge. You will also have to pay for the services of your consultant as a private patient.