Frequently Asked Questions

Emergency medicine is a speciality with the knowledge and skills required for the diagnosis and management of acute and urgent illness and injury affecting patients of all age groups with a full spectrum of episodic undifferentiated physical and behavioural disorders. [International Federation for Emergency Medicine].

There are two local GP services which will provide you and your family with access to family doctor services outside of normal hours.

Dun Laoghaire DOC

• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 18.00- 22.00 and Sat-Sun 10.00- 18.00
• Location: St. Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
• Tel: (01) 663 9869

EAST DOC

• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 18.00- 22.00 and Sat-Sun 10.00- 18.00
• Location: St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4
• Tel: 00 353 (01) 221 4021

St Michael’s Hospital Emergency Department, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 08.00 – 20.00 (including Bank Holidays)
• Tel:  (01) 66 39 815/ 828
• www.stmichaels.ie

Loughlinstown Injuries Unit, St. Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin (for patients aged 14yrs or older)

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 08.00 -18.00 (inc Bank Holidays)
• Tel:  (01) 211 5238/ 5084

If you’re looking for reliable information on-line regarding your illness / medical condition these websites are a good place to start:

• HSE – Health Service Executive
• Patient – Trusted medical information and support
• NHS Choices
• Your Mental Health
• Samaritans

For practical advice on how to mind yourself or your family when you’re sick visit www.undertheweather.ie or www.winterready.ie

• Letter from your GP if you have been referred by them
• List of current medications
• Information about any previous medical conditions or your medical history
• A list of allergies you have to any medications
• CDs/reports of any scans relevant to your current problem

The Emergency Department in St. Vincent’s University Hospital is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We encourage patients to stay in touch with relatives directly to keep them updated as phoning the Emergency Department can distract nurses and doctors from providing care to the patients.  If this is not possible we would ask that you nominate one member of the family to act as a liaison with the Emergency Department. We are unfortunately only able to give very limited information over the ‘phone in the interests of respecting patient confidentiality

The Emergency Department at St. Vincent’s University Hospital caters for patients aged 16 years and older.

A Health Act Charge of €100 is payable at time of registration for all patients attending the Emergency Department with the following exemptions:

• If the patient has been referred by their GP that day (GP letter must be presented on arrival).
• If the patient is a Medical Card Holder (valid medical card must be presented on arrival).
• Temporary EU tourists who present a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) on arrival.

In some other circumstances there may be further exemptions to the Health Act Charge. If you fall under one of these categories you will be informed at time of registration. For more information regarding exemptions please see the HSE website www.hse.ie

A Health Act Charge of €300 applies to Non-EU residents attending the Emergency Department.

We aim to see patients as soon as we can. Some patients with a less serious problem may have to wait a little longer. Our dedicated Fast Track area is available for patients with less serious injuries where our standard is to get patients seen and discharged within two hours of arrival. The length of time a patient will be waiting will depend on their complaint and how sick they are. It is not possible for us to give a precise time, but a member of the nursing staff will make an assessment on arrival and allocate one of our clinical team who will see patients at the earliest possible opportunity.

The busiest hour for people attending is between 11.00 and 12.00 noon. However, as many of these patients require tests and treatment, the department gets busier as the afternoon progresses. We do however have more doctors working during these peak times as well as our dedicated Fast Track area which is open throughout the day.

Patients with a minor injury may be eligible to be seen in our Fast Track area

Having a letter from your GP will certainly help us to provide you with the most appropriate care. However you will still need to be reviewed by a triage nurse when you arrive, who will assign you with a triage category. This clinical assessment at triage determines the order in which you will be seen.

Unfortunately we are not able to give medical advice over the phone. We encourage patients to contact their GPs in the first instance.

No. All patients will be seen by the triage nurse, who will assign a triage category. This clinical assessment determines the order in which patients are seen.

Our staff unfortunately cannot organise an ambulance to bring you to the Emergency Department.

If you are discharged by the Emergency Department staff, a detailed letter summarising the findings of any tests performed will be posted to your GP.

All feedback should be directed to:
Quality Risk and Patient Safety
St. Vincent’s University Hospital
Elm Park
Dublin 4

Tel: (01) 221 4013

Email: patientsupport@svuh.ie

If your question isn’t addressed here please contact us.